Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — While a $10 million American Samoa Government investment, reportedly made with an investment firm in Kansas with a verbal assurance to double the money within weeks has raised serious concern among senators after the first promised payout never arrived, there are additional concerns over the wire transfer, which seems to have been done outside of acknowledged ‘authorizing’ norms; to a location that may not exist in Kansas; and, to a little‑known investment firm.

AUTHORITY TO SEND $10 MILLION

A string of emails has confirmed Acting Treasurer Carri‑Lee Magalei-Tulafono’s testimony during the Senate Government Operations Committee hearing held on Tuesday morning of this week that the authority to wire transfer the $10 million from the ARPA interest account held at Zions Bank to a company in Leawood [sic], Kansas called McKinley, came directly from Gov. Pulaali’i Nikolao Pula and Brett Butler.

Magalei-Tulafono in her testimony stated that the wire transfer carried three signatures: the Governor, Brett Butler, and herself, with her staff sending the letter to Zions Bank to initiate the wire.

The Acting Treasure said she did not know why the Governor selected the firm, nor did she know anyone else in Treasury who understood the reasoning, when asked by Senator Togiola T.A. Tulafono, chairman of the GO Committee.

Asked who might know, she answered simply:

“Brett.”

At the beginning of the GO hearing, Togiola reminded the committee that the Senate’s broader concern is whether the administration is using investment earnings or excess funds without Fono approval.

He pointed to the supplemental budget request, which he said reallocates money already approved for departments and even federal grant sources — all while major obligations, such as unpaid contributions to the ASG Retirement Fund, remain unresolved.

WIRE TRANSFER ADDRESS

During the hearing, Togiola raised doubts about the existence of a city in Kansas, called Leawood. He said, there was a city called Leadwood, but no Leawood. 

The Acting Treasurer insisted it was the city named in address listed on the wire transfer — Leawood — and spelt out the name of the city to Togiola.

Not discussed during the hearing, Samoa News should point out that Magalei-Tulafono identified the investment company as McKinley‑Beech Tree. However, in googling the name there is no such company identified as existing in Kansas, or elsewhere. 

But, there are two distinct companies identified on google: McKinley Management and Beech Tree Private Equity. 

McKinley Management is known as a privately owned organization based in Alaska, which provides research, consulting, and private investment capital, and is also referred to as McKinley Group.

Beech Tree Private Equity is a private company located in the United Kingdom that reportedly invests in high-growth companies in sectors like technology and financial services.

Notably in the email/ letter Gov. Pulaali’i sent to Magalei-Tulafono, on March 16, 2026, he authorizes her to sign the necessary documents to invest the $10 million… with McKinley. 

So, it is quite possible that the investment firm is McKinley Management.

INVESTMENT RETURNS

The Acting Treasurer further told senators that she was informed by Butler that the investment would yield a $10 million return, plus an additional $10 million, within 30 days of the wire transfer — that is by April 30 or May 1. Everything she understood about the expected returns came verbally from Butler she stated.

But as she reported to the committee:

“As of August 31st, there has been no return from the investment.”

The revelation immediately raised red flags among senators, who questioned how such a large sum of public money was transferred with no documented terms, no legal review, and no clear justification for choosing the Kansas firm.

OUTSIDE OF AUTHORIZING NORMS 

Senate President Tuaolo Manaia Fruean asked whether the Acting Treasurer consulted the Attorney General before signing the wire transfer.

She replied, “No.”

When asked why, she said the situation unfolded quickly:

“It all happened so fast. I was called in by Brett… he told me he would be fully responsible and I had nothing to do with it. So I thought OK. But at the end of the day, he came back and said, no you need to sign it. And I signed it.

"When I went home, I told my husband about it. He asked if I had anything from Brett that said this was from the Governor. So I emailed the Governor and he sent me back a letter authorizing me to sign the transfer to McKinley Group for DPA, and so I signed it and sent it back. I didn't talk to the AG until a couple of weeks ago when I told her about this."

She read the email/ letter, from the governor, dated Mar. 16, 2026, out loud during the hearing:

“I authorize you… to sign the necessary documents to invest $10 million for purposes of ASG airport infrastructure with McKinley.”

The string of emails indicate that the email/ letter was sent due to Magalei-Tulafono’s request, but at the insistence of Butler — after he spoke to the governor over the phone about the matter. Once it was received, the Acting Treasurer then sent the signed document to Butler. 

The string of emails happened on the same evening of Mar. 16, 2026, and it looks like the wire transfer then went out the following morning as Butler noted he wanted it to happen in his email to Magalei-Tulafono.