Northern Marianas Islander Accused of Bank and Wire Fraud by US Attorney’s Office

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Former Executive Director of CNMI Bar Association Faces Multiple Charges

Peonie Cabrera, a former executive director of the CNMI Bar Association, has been accused by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Districts of Guam and the NMI of committing bank and wire fraud.

Alleged Scheme

According to court documents filed on Tuesday, Cabrera faces two counts of bank fraud and two counts of wire fraud. The alleged scheme took place between 2019 and 2023, during which time Cabrera used false and fraudulent pretenses and representations to obtain money and property from financial institutions.

Bank Fraud Charges

• Count 1: Cabrera allegedly wrote and cashed checks made payable to herself and drawn upon a bank account at the Bank of Hawaii belonging to the Northern Marianas Bar Association between April 4, 2019, and May 4, 2023.
• Count 2: Cabrera is accused of submitting a falsified signature card and making cash withdrawals from a bank account at the Bank of Guam belonging to the same association between September 20, 2019, and March 12, 2020.

Wire Fraud Charges

• Count 1: Cabrera caused wire transfers of money from accounts belonging to the Northern Marianas Bar Association at the Bank of Hawaii to be sent to a third-party payment company, which she then diverted for her own personal use between April 14, 2020, and June 11, 2021.
• Count 2: Cabrera used false and fraudulent representations to cause members of the Northern Marianas Bar Association to make wire transfers of money into accounts owned and controlled by herself between June 18, 2021, and February 24, 2023.

Further Information

The U.S. Attorney’s Office declined to provide further information on the case at this time.