The man identified as a leader in the conspiracy to defraud the U.S. government through the Guam Recruitment Army Program (GRAP) was sentenced in District Court this morning.
Anthony Ngirarois received over $42,000 in bonuses which he fraudulently obtained by claiming that he recruited 20 individuals to the Guam Army National Guard.
For every soldier he helped to enlist as a recruiter assistant, he received up to $2,000. Ngirarois took a plea deal with the government, admitting to two counts of theft of government property and two counts of wire fraud.
Ngirarois asked Chief District Court Judge Francis Tydingco-Gatewood for mercy. He said he made poor choices and he is tormented with regrets.
“I want to apologize to the government for my deception,” he said, and to the Army National Guard for not holding up to the Guard’s values.
Judge Gatewood sentenced Ngirarois to 12 months and 1 day in prison. She told Ngirarois that his sentence is heavier than others convicted in the GRAP conspiracy because he was an organizer. Ngirarois will be allowed to self-surrender after Dec. 20.
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