28 Jan 2012

American Samoa official found guilty of witness tampering

7:17 am on 28 January 2012

The jury in the federal trial of American Samoa Department of Education official Paul Solofa has found him guilty of witness tampering and obstruction of justice.

Solofa was a former Finance Manager and School Lunch Program Manager.

He was arrested by FBI agents from his workplace at the DOE warehouse in September of 2010, after an investigation into allegations of bribes and kickbacks paid to officials of the American Samoa Government.

Solofa faces a maximum of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine on the witness tampering charge and 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine on the obstruction of justice charge.

He will be sentenced April 27.