There were give away signs that should’ve alerted Treasury staff that the letter requesting the transfer of more than $4 million to Wells Fargo Bank was a hoax.
That’s the observation of House representatives after seeing a copy of the letter, which initiated the transaction.
The giveaways are the date, which has the day, month and then the year (31/07/2023), instead of the American format with the month first, the day, then year; and the phone number and fax number at the bottom are incomplete.
The phone number is listed as 011 (684) 633-122, and the fax number is 011 (684 )633-186. The last digit is missing in both numbers.
The letter, which was emailed to Treasury, is on LBJ Tropical Medical Center letter head and has the signatures of Board Chairman Dr. Malouamaua Tuiolosega, Mr. Fonoti Douglas Jessop -Board member, and Dr. Akapusi Ledua who was then-Acting Chief Executive Officer of the LBJ Hospital.
The letter was distributed by Treasurer Malemo Tausaga at a hearing of the House Budget and Appropriations Committee yesterday into the transfer to Wells Fargo Bank.
The letter addressed to Akenese and Edward, who are Treasury employees, states:
“This is to inform you that American Samoa Medical Center will henceforth receive payment with below updated bank account. We hereby authorize you to pay to the updated bank account below.
The details provided are Bank: Wells Fargo.
Account name: American Samoa Medical Center.
Then the routing number, account number, swift Code and Bank Address: 1300 Beville Road, Daytona Beach Florida. 
The Treasurer said the day the transaction took place, the LBJ Controller Tulili had been in contact with the Treasury staff about the hospital’s payment from ASG. It’s understood that the inquiry concerned the ASG subsidy for LBJ. According to Malemo, about an hour after the money was transferred, Dr. Jean Anderson was at Treasury asking about the hospital payment, as they had not received it. It was then the hoax was discovered.
Malemo said they immediately tried to stop the transfer, but the funds had already been remitted. He said the FBI was also contacted the same day.
The total amount that was transferred was $4,474,207.09. ASG has received, back from Wells Fargo, $4,373,997.02 leaving a balance of $100,210.07 yet to be returned.
The Treasurer told the hearing that two FBI agents are investigating where this money is, and whether an individual or group of people has fraudulently obtained the funds.
Malemo, who was off island at the time the transfer took place, said he takes full responsibility and blame for the transaction. He said it was a very serious matter, and he has told the Governor to remove him because of what happened.
Vice Speaker Fetui Fetu said he had received a call from someone at the hospital the day the transfer was made, and he called the Deputy Treasurer Levi Reese to verify the information. He said Levi said there was no such transaction. He said, he also called the Budget Office and spoke to Deputy Director Aukuso Satia.
Representative Luaitaua Gene Pan questioned how the Treasury staff could’ve allowed the transfer of such a huge amount, when ASG subsidies are usually in amounts of half a million or above $1 million, never $4 million.
Chairman of the Budget and Appropriations Committee Rep. Vailoata Amituanai was curious why Dr. Anderson went to Treasury to check on the funds, and not someone who handles LBJ finances.
Representative Ape Mike Asifoa said he just can’t accept that the transaction could go through, if the bank account was not correct. He said from his experience, if there’s one letter missing or incorrect for an ACH transfer, it will not go through.
Ape said it appeared to him that what took place was the work of employees at Treasury and LBJ.
