Man arrested for embezzlement and stealing previously convicted for same offenses

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Lepuia’i Allen Mayer is being held in police custody with bail set at $50,000 on charges of embezzlement and stealing in two separate criminal cases.

This comes after he allegedly misappropriated $14,000 entrusted to him and for allegedly depriving the owner of six vehicles, which he rented.

The defendant made his initial appearance yesterday in District Court.

According to the government’s case this matter came to light last month when Tuanaitau Rental filed a complaint alleging that Mayer owed $4,000 for renting six vehicles, that were not turned within the rental period. 

 “On November 12, 2022 police received a call from Mayer stating that he had already turned in all vehicles except for one, a Chevy Red Silverado that belongs to Tuanaitau Rentals, valued at $20,000.”

The defendant paid $1,5000 to the rental car company and five vehicles were turned in. It’s alleged that on November 17, 2022 Mayer did not return the Chevy.

The car rental owner also informed police she met with a few people and they had asked her about vehicles that they had purchased from Mayer.

The owner “explained to the customers that she had no knowledge of what Mayer had been doing and she also showed documents of ownership. The owner said “she did not know these people but they seemed to be very upset with what Mayer had done.”

The criminal complaint did not provide any other details about Mayer’s dealings with the rental agency.

The same affidavit also outlined a second complaint against Mayer about a silver 2018 Toyota 4runner sold to victim number 2 for $20,000.

It’s alleged that in October, the victim met with Mayer who asked for money for his family in Hawaii and the victim gave him $1,000.

According to the victim, Mayer said the $1,000 was part of the down payment for the vehicle.

Mayer dropped off the Silver 2013 Toyota 4runner. Another check was issued in the amount of $13,000 to the defendant.  On November 12, 2022 Mayer arrived at the victim’s residence and demanded the 4runner back so that all the paper work — title and everything could be done and settled. 

Mayer took the vehicle and gave the victim a SUV Hyundai sports car to be used, however later on the same day Mayer arrived with an unknown Chinese lady and demanded the Hyundai SUV back.

 “Mayer stated that the Toyota 4runner would be ready by 6:30pm after being tuned-up cleaned and paperwork plus receipts and everything.”

BACKGROUND

Mayer is not new to court. He was convicted in 2015 on similar charges.

The former manager of Pacific Shipping Services (PSS) admitted to misappropriating $200,000 of company funds for his personal use and was sentenced to serve 20 months in jail.

Mayer was charged with embezzlement, forgery and stealing, which are all class C felonies, in that case but in the plea deal he signed with the AG’s office, the defendant pleaded guilty to one count of embezzlement, and in return the government moved to dismiss the remaining charges.

According to the plea agreement, Lepuia'i admitted that between July 2012 and October 2013, while employed as manager for Pacific Shipping Services he collected payments from customers and deposited them in a Bank of Hawaii account that he had set up under the company name, with himself as the sole signer on the account.

The defendant admitted that he used over $200,000 from a BoH account that he fraudulently opened using a forged authorization letter from PSS, which he deposited PSS money, for his personal use.

The plea deal says that when the BoH account was uncovered, it had a negative balance of $425.

The government’s case further claims that during the investigation it was found that the defendant would collect cash from sailors of the Lady Naomi and then would keep the money and write checks to stores for the supplies requested.

Court filings say the defendant also went shopping for sailors on purse seiners, and he collected cash in the amount of $9,000+ and used the PSS checks to pay for the shopping at the stores.

Court filings say that Mayer also used the money to purchase caskets for his family members who had passed on, that he paid his life insurance and insurance for his vehicles, paid for his family eating out and staying at hotels, paid his ASPA bills and also bought materials from CBT.

The government’s case claims the defendant bought three vehicles from ASCO Motors — a FJ Cruiser, Toyota Tacoma and a Sequoia, however he still owes $11,000+ for the Sequoia; and that he also bought an Echo from Police Officer Pepe Mann. The defendant also wrote checks in his wife’s name for cash in the amount of $7,685.

The defendant is alleged to have also purchased a bus for $25,000. It’s also alleged that he bought two rings using checks from PSS at Treasure Island Jewelers, and his wife confirmed that she had received two rings for Christmas that year.