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ON FUNDS THAT WILL BE RELEASED TO TIM VILLAGOMEZ, SANTOSES
Manglona grants US govt request to seize funds
Judge vacates similar orders issued last October
U.S. District Court for the NMI Chief Judge Ramona V. Manglona has granted the U.S. government’s separate applications to seize funds that will be released to former lieutenant governor Timothy P. Villagomez, former Commerce secretary James A. Santos, and his wife, Joaquina Santos. The applications were filed in anticipation of the release of funds to restore the 25-percent pension cut of CNMI retirees.
In separate orders on Thursday, Manglona, however, granted the U.S. government’s requests to vacate the court’s orders issued in October 2003 that seized the property of Villagomez and the Santos couple, to satisfy a judgment against them.
Manglona said the U.S. government has applied for a second writ of execution upon the judgment in a criminal case rendered in this case against Villagomez and the Santos couple.
The judge determined that the applications meet the requirements of the statute.
She ordered the clerk to issue the writ of execution to Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica F. Cruz.
In the applications, Cruz said the funds will be used to partially satisfy the judgment against Villagomez and the Santos couple.
Cruz said that, as of July 31, 2014, Villagomez still owes $340,900.97 in restitution, while the Santoses still have a balance due each in the amount of $372,621.53.
With respect to the first writ of execution, Manglona said she reviewed the U.S. government’s motion to vacate and found good cause.
Manglona vacated the writ of execution she issued on Oct. 9, 2013.
In the U.S. government’s motion to vacate, Cruz said vacating the writ of execution is appropriate the U.S. Marshals Service’s levy against Villagomez’s and the Santoses’ property is now untenable since the NMI Retirement Fund no longer exists and has no assets that belong to Villagomez and the Santoses.
The defendants are currently serving prison terms for their conviction for their role in a conspiracy to defraud the Commonwealth Utilities Corp. through needless purchases of a de-scaling chemical.
