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08/26/2025 - 8/26/2025 - Henry S. Hofschneider, Gov. David M. Apatang’s chief of staff, and Eloida Dela Cruz Macaranas, of the Department of Finance, have pleaded not guilty on charges of misappropriating nearly $100,000 in public funds.
Hofschneider, represented by counsel Bruce Berline, and Macaranas, represented by counsel Robert Torres, appeared before Superior Court Presiding Judge Robert Naraja’s chambers and pleaded not guilty to Misconduct in Public Office charges last Aug. 25.
Office of Attorney General special prosecutor Olga Kelly said a third person charged in the case, Teresita Borja Camacho, is currently off-island, while a fourth, Larissa Sablan Flores, had already appeared before the court last week. She also pleaded not guilty during her arraignment, where she was represented by counsel Colin Thompson.
Naraja set a status conference on the cases against Hofschneider and Macaranas on Oct. 2, 1:30 pm, with Superior Court Associate Judge Kenneth L. Govendo presiding.
In an interview after the hearing, Hofschneider asked that all inquiries be directed to his counsel.
Kelly and Berline refused to comment about the case, with the latter saying, “Not right now. It's early in the proceedings. So, thank you.”
Torres, meanwhile, emphasized that his client is entitled to the presumption of innocence, noting that the case involves alleged white-collar misconduct in public office rather than traditional criminal conduct. He said they fully intend to contest the charges on behalf of Macaranas, who has served at the Department of Finance for more than 47 years.
“We will review the charges. There's a status conference on October 2nd before judge Govendo, and we will meet in this case and review the discovery and deal with it at the appropriate time. But we absolutely stand on Ms. Macaranas' innocence, and we'll proceed forward to hold the government to its burden of proof,” he said.
According to Superior Court filings, Hofschneider and Macaranas face Misconduct in Public Office charges. Flores, the governor’s assistant, also faces counts for removing government property.
Prosecutors allege Hofschneider and Flores withdrew $98,379.65 from the Saipan Mayor’s Office account in mid-2023 without authorization. Camacho, then a budget officer, is accused of failing to report the theft and separately taking more than $38,000 herself. Macaranas, a payroll manager, allegedly processed the unauthorized payments.
If convicted, Hofschneider, Flores, and Camacho each face up to 10 years in prison, while Macaranas faces up to two years. Flores could also face six months for the records charge.
Report by Mark Rabago
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