10 charged with cashing
stolen checks, debit cards
with fake ID

By Rod Ohira
Star-Bulletin

Ten members of an alleged Oahu counterfeiting ring that produced false identification cards to use with stolen checks and credit cards have been indicted on federal charges.

Named in the indictment are Tina Marie Abalos, 42, the alleged ringleader who currently is in a drug treatment program at Miller Hale, and her daughter, Dana Aea.

Also named are Grace Pascua Ellazar, Irine and Richard Pascua, Laine Lacanaria, Mary Jane Fontanilla, Richard Choroski, Michael Dean Woodfall and Darleen Daoang.

All except Fontanilla are in custody.

The indictment says Abalos bought stolen mail that contained checks and credit cards from Choroski, Richard Pascua and others to purchase merchandise or obtain funds from banks.

From March until May this year, Lacanaria allegedly produced 200 false identification cards for Abalos using computer graphics programs.

The indictment says Woodfall used the Internet Web sites "Dogpile" and "Lost People" to obtain personal information data at Abalos' request to produce false identifications matching stolen checks and credit cards.

Aea, Ellazar, Lacanaria, Fontanilla, Daoang, Choroski and Irine Pascua, Richard's wife, all used false identification cards with stolen checks and credit cards, according to the indictment.

Over 30 people may have been involved with the ring, which has cost local banks and merchants between $250,000 and $1 million, federal officials say.

"In terms of the number of people involved, it's the most significant case we've had here," said Judy Sorenson, a U.S. Postal Service investigator.

"It's certainly the most sophisticated operation."

The indictment includes several examples of how the ring stole the identity of Caroline Pankove, one of the victims listed.

On May 5, Abalos allegedly gave Irine Pascua and Choroski a false Hawaii drivers license in the name of Ellen Chung and a stolen American Savings Bank check drawn on the account of Caroline and Martine Pankove.

The $2,140 check was cashed at First Hawaiian Bank's Ward Avenue branch.

On May 24, Abalos allegedly gave an altered military identification card and stolen American Savings Bank check in Caroline Pankove's name to an unidentified ring member to purchase $400 worth of gift certificates at City Mill in Kaimuki.

On June 4, Ellazar and Aea allegedly used a false Hawaii drivers license to cash a $1,560 First Hawaiian Bank check made out to Caroline Pankove that was drawn on the account of Pelita Talledo and Josephine Dadulla.

On the same day, they also cashed at a drive-up window at American Saving's Kapiolani branch a $2,725 check made out to Pankove on Richard Galino's account, and a $2,888 check drawn on the account of AA Aluminum Products made payable to Pankove at Hawaii National Bank.

Over a dozen cases covering a two-month period are cited in the indictment.

The biggest check cashed was for $9,719.

Richard and Irine Pascua, Ellazar and Daoang entered not-guilty pleas yesterday before U.S. Magistrate Barry Kurren. A detention hearing for the four will be held today at 2:45 p.m.