Governor Pulaali’i Nikolao Pula says federal investigators are currently building cases to be prosecuted in relation to the spending of the $36 million by the former administration. KHJ News understands that the probe also covers ARPA funded projects.

Speaking on the Talatala le Taui Show with host Taupau Tauleave Toluono, the Governor stated that it has been two years since a Special Prosecutor was appointed to look into the $36 million spending but up to now there has been no report of the IP’s findings. He said, “Our administration wants to know and the people want to know what happened to all these millions. So we have decided to pursue some of these cases either locally or through the federal courts.” The Governor reminded there is a statute of limitation period for prosecution of cases.

According to the Governor the federal investigators have been talking to people who may have been involved.

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Information received by KHJ News is that other than investigators from the Inspector General’s Office of the Department of Interior, FBI agents were also part of the team.

The $36 million was surplus revenues that the government collected in Fiscal Year 2023 which the Lemanu and Laapui administration spent without Fono approval. The Fono then approved a bill after the fact to authorize the spending.

• $21.5 million was approved for the Governor’s Office for infrastructure projects in Tutuila and Aunuu;
• Another $10.4 million was also for the Governor’s Office for infrastructure projects in Manu’a;
• $2.5 million to the American Samoa Medicaid State Agency for the Medical local match;
• $1.5 million to the Governor’s Office to address audit results on the use of COVID-19 funding.