The allegations are stacking up. 

Employees at the Guam Power Authority are the latest agency added to a growing list of Government of Guam employees accused of illegal gambling online and on the job. According to GPA General Manager John Benavente let the chips fall where they may.


"I immediately forwarded it to our internal audit team," he said. "I can assure you we take all things very seriously here."

Benavente confirms he received a letter from Utilities Oversight Chair Sen. Clynt Ridgell who received a copy of an anonymous letter received by Sen. Joanne Brown. The writer of the anonymous letter alleges there is gambling going on at GPA and the investigation should start by looking into the HR Division.

"This is very disgusting because this are HR staff who has access to employee records and contact information," the author wrote.

The writer alleges the gambling group is also going on at other sections like Customer Service, Procurement, and in the T&D Division.

"This behavior has got to stop in our government and these employees need to make their priority to work for the people and earn their high pay and not working to organize gambling," according to the letter.


"They're now looking at all the allegations that were made and again similarly there is a due process that we have to go through," Benavente said. "And it all begins with an internal auditor to do an independent evaluation of all of this and of course report to myself and also the CCU audit committee chairperson which is again involved in all of these internal issues that we have."

The allegations of gambling online and on-duty first came to light when Senator Brown also received an anonymous tip about airport officers. Guam International Airport Authority General Manager John Quinata wouldn't fold on giving specifics because of an ongoing investigation. Through Civil Service Commission documents KUAM was able to confirm Airport Officer 1 Jericho Santos was fired and had admitted to online gambling while on duty. But his case file revealed that he had built a gambling group of more than 250 other players including other airport officers, and players from the Guam Police Department, Guam Fire Department, Superior Court marshals, and members of the National Guard. His case file also indicated that he became involved with the gambling app Poker Bros from a police officer. Chief of Police Steve Ignacio confirmed he had opened an administrative investigation into a single officer after being informed about the ongoing investigation.

"So far those have been the key ones that we have received so far and you know much to my surprise I really didn't' know this was an issue in the Government of Guam apparently it's kind of blown up that its extending like it has tentacles that are extending to other operations of the government and I think that's unfortunate," Brown said.

Allegations of illegal gambling have also extended to the Port Authority as General Manager Rory Respicio on Thursday issued a press release confirming that several of his Port Police officers "are allegedly involved in an illegal gambling matter that currently is the subject of an FBI investigation."