HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – A Guam bingo hall operator who was sentenced to more than 21 years in prison for defrauding patrons who believed their money would help fly sick children to Shriners Hospital in Honolulu for care, is on the FBI’s new Most Wanted Fraudster’s List.

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Michael Marasigan, 54, and his co-conspirators defrauded patrons at the Guam Shrine Club from 2015 to 2021, according to the FBI. The operation, which touted itself as the best bingo experience on Guam, promised money would be used for a transportation fund for flying sick children to Shriners Hospital in Honolulu.

Hafa Adai Bingo laundered millions from the $34 million the operation generated, according to federal authorities.

Bingo operator promised funds for sick children

A former Shriners parent of the outreach clinic met Marasigan in the Guam bingo hall years ago.

“He would stand up and tell them, oh, thank you for coming out. This is for Shriners Hospital. This is for the transportation of our children so that they can go to Hawai’i,” the former Shriners parent told HNN Investigates.

Last month, Marasigan was sentenced in absentia and ordered to pay $10 million to the Aloha Shriners. Court documents say he wanted to travel to the Philippines for medical care, but then ghosted authorities.

“It made me so angry that he lied not only to my face, but to everybody in that bingo hall several times a week,” the former parent said.

Families struggled with travel costs

The former parent said the popular bingo operation and the fake fundraising left many families with hardships as they tried to figure out how to fly between Guam and Hawai’i.

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“He would say, oh, but we can’t afford for the parent. Oh, but we can’t afford for the change fees,” the former parent said. “And it did not add up when I could see that the bingo hall was completely full. It was disgusting to tell you the truth.”

Angela Keen, a former Shriners Hospital employee, reported marketing violations to the nonprofit’s headquarters in 2017.

“They were using the incorrect logo. They were also using our patient stories, our patient ambassador stories without our permission,” Keen said.

Keen said the organization took action after her report.

“They listened and they took action and they supported me,” Keen said.

Shriners says patient care unaffected

A Shriners Children’s statement said the Shrine clubs are a separate organization and “the case has had no impact on patient care operations, and Shriners Children’s staff continue to provide uninterrupted care to Guam patients in both Guam and Hawaii.”

The U.S. attorney for Guam and the Northern Mariana Island said Marasigan and his co-defendants traded on the reputation of a children’s health care system, while the FBI in Honolulu said they were taking charity money meant for sick children.

“So they owe the Shriners millions, millions,” Keen said, “and to see that kind of money being stolen from them is heart-crushing.”

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