Convicted former Guam bingo operator is on FBI’s ‘most wanted’ list

By Jayvee Vallejera

A former Dededo resident who was convicted of fraud in May 2025 and fled to the Philippines is now on a new FBI list of the most wanted fraudsters nationwide.

FBI Director Kash Patel recently unveiled the FBI Most Wanted Fraudsters List, which publicly identifies individuals charged with defrauding the American people.

Its initial batch of eight wanted fugitives includes Michael Lizaso Marasigan, who operated bingo on Guam.

The FBI is offering a reward of up to $150,000 for information leading to Marasigan’s arrest and conviction.

Patel encouraged the public to check out the list on the FBI website and anyone with information about the whereabouts of these fugitives can submit tips at http://tips.fbi.gov, by calling 1-800-CALL-FBI, or by contacting the nearest FBI field office.

Marasigan, who is wanted for violations of his pretrial release and is a dual citizen of the United States and the Philippines, had been found guilty in May 2025 in the District Court of Guam of conspiring with others to operate an illegal gambling business, money laundering and wire fraud.

While awaiting his sentence, Marasigan was allowed to travel to the Philippines for medical reasons. He did not return to Guam on the required date and stopped all contact with the court in June 2025. 

An arrest warrant was then issued and Marasigan was charged with violating the conditions of his pretrial release.

On May 18, Marasigan and his two co-conspirators were sentenced to federal prison, made to forfeit thousands of dollars and were directed to pay restitution and mandatory assessment fees.

Marasigan was sentenced in absentia to 262 months in federal prison and was ordered to pay $10.75 million in restitution to Aloha Shriners, a $5.9 million money judgment forfeiture, and a $6,500 mandatory assessment fee.

His co-conspirator, Jose Arthur D. Chan Jr., 77, was sentenced to 60 months in federal prison, directed to pay restitution of $10.75 million to Aloha Shriners, made to give up $339,013 and directed to pay a $300 assessment fee.

Chan’s spouse, Christine C. Chan, 64, was sentenced to 70 months in federal prison. She was also ordered to pay Aloha Shriners $10.75 million in restitution and a $2,700 mandatory assessment fee. She also forfeited $871,500.

The other defendants in the case pleaded guilty and testified for the government at trial.

Marasigan, the Chan couple and several others were part of a non-profit group, Guam Shrine Club. It operated a bingo parlor in Tamuning called Hafa Adai Bingo from March 2015 to December 2021, purportedly to raise money that would be used to bring sick children, plus one parent or guardian, to the Shriner’s Hospital for Children in Hawaii for medical care.

However, instead of allocating the fundraising proceeds for the nonprofit organization’s children transportation fund, Marasigan and his co-conspirators diverted about $10.75 million of the proceeds for themselves and others, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

The illegal gambling business and fraud scheme generated at least $34 million in bingo proceeds, the USAO said.

Some of the money raised did go to Shriners. Citing GSC bank records, USAO said about $140,378 of bingo proceeds between 2015 and 2020 were used to pay Aloha Shriners and for air transportation. However, in 2021, no bingo proceeds were used for GSC’s charitable purpose.

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Along with Marasigan, the Chan couple was also convicted of conspiracy to operate an illegal gambling business, money laundering conspiracy, money laundering, and conspiracy to commit wire fraud. 

“These defendants traded on the reputation of the Shriners Children’s healthcare system to perpetrate their multi-million-dollar fraud,” said U.S. Attorney Shawn N. Anderson. “It was an unconscionable means to personal gain.”

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