Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Police have arrested and charged a 38-year-old man accused of stealing more than $3,000 from his aunty’s bank account by stealing her checks and forging her signature.

Anesi Saolotoga is facing 4 counts of forgery and 4 counts of stealing — all felonies. Each count is punishable by not more than 7 years imprisonment, and/ or a fine of not more than $5,000 or both.

It was the victim who reported the case to police last month, after she discovered that a huge amount of money was missing from her bank account.

According to the government, $3,400 was missing from the victim’s bank account, and she was having a hard time trying to figure out how it happened. That’s until she got her end-of-the-month bank statement and realized that someone had withdrawn money from her account without her permission.

The victim told investigators that 4 checks were stolen from her checkbook and all were cashed without her consent.

The first check was dated Apr. 23, 2019 for $690. The second check was dated May 31st for $800

A  third check for $1,300 was dated June 5th, followed by the last check, dated June 20th for $610.

Police reviewed records from the bank pertaining to the transactions, and a bank teller told investigators the checks were made out to Anesi Saolotoga, the defendant in this case, who is also the victim's nephew.

Bank records indicate that Saolotga forged the victim’s signature, and used his American Samoa driver’s license to cash the checks.

Police have been provided a signed letter Saolotoga gave to his aunty, begging for forgiveness, and apologizing to her for forging and cashing her checks, with the promise to pay the money back.

Saolotoga made his initial appearance in court last week, and he was remanded to custody, unable to post a $5,000 surety bond.

Preliminary examination is today, Friday, Aug. 2.