They were supposed to help people, not help themselves. 

At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Guam Department of Labor was at the frontlines, tasked with administering millions in federal unemployment assistance. programs like pandemic unemployment assistance or pua were lifelines for workers suddenly jobless, but prosecutors say several individuals turned that system into their own personal payday. 

A federal indictment is pulling back the curtain on what prosecutors describe as a large-scale scheme involving government employees, business owners, and family ties.

At the center of the scheme, Kathleen Peredo, the PUA Program Manager at GDOL. 

According to federal documents, she had full access to the agency’s internal computer system. That meant she could view, upload, and approve applications and supporting documents, even modify them when needed.

Also charged, Marleen Pinaula, another GDOL staffer who worked under Peredo. She too allegedly had full access and used it to manipulate claims.

The indictment lists a web of co-defendants: Charissa Tenorio, Frankie Rosalin, Tina Sanchez, Winnie Jo Santos, and Matthew Topasna, all accused of submitting fraudulent applications or aiding in the scheme. 

According to the indictment they were all part of a broader conspiracy, submitting false information, fabricating employment histories, and helping others do the same.

Rosalin and Tenorio ran a landscaping business called comfort cuts. 

Tina Sanchez, Rosalin’s mother, allegedly provided services to that business. Santos worked there as a supervisor. Even Topasna, who owned a food truck called Haute Dog & Company, is accused of participating.

Prosecutors allege these individuals fabricated unemployment claims, sometimes using their business connections, sometimes family ties. 

In some cases, GDOL employees themselves allegedly approved the false paperwork, bypassing the same safeguards that were supposed to protect public funds.

To qualify, applicants had to show they lost work due to the pandemic, and then continue certifying their status week after week. But investigators say many of those claims were based on lies.

It’s a scheme that didn’t just undermine public trust, it may have robbed real people of help when they needed it most.

Lt. Governor Joshua Tenorio, in a special address, acknowledges the allegations.

“The recent allegations involving my sister Charissa, her son’s father, and my significant other Matt, have caused immense personal pain. These are people I love deeply, people who have been with me through the highs and lows of life. Now, they face a difficult and trying legal situation, and it is one that weighs heavily on our entire family. As these legal proceedings unfold, I have full faith in the rule of law. I trust that the truth will come to light and that justice will be served fairly and impartially, as it always should,” added Tenorio. 

With the indictment still in its early stages, the investigation continues, and the community watches closely as federal authorities seek accountability for what they describe as a betrayal of public trust at the worst possible time.