Dec. 31, 2004 – A Princess Cruises employee has been indicted by a federal grand jury for allegedly running an unlicensed money-transmitting business. Chuchi Kue, 43, of Malate, Philippines, allegedly transmitted $160,000 from St. Thomas, Alaska and Florida to the Philippines.
According to a news release from Acting U.S. Attorney Anthony J. Jenkins issued Thursday, Kue was found Dec. 9 with $20,392 in her Dawn Princess cabin.
The seven-count indictment alleged that between January 2000 and Dec. 9 of this year, Kue collected money from others to be illegally transmitted through foreign commerce. After the money was collected, Kue and others acting with her used banks and money-remitting services to transmit their customers' money to the Philippines when the cruise ships she worked on docked in St. Thomas, Alaska and Florida.
If convicted Kue faces up to five years in jail, a fine of up to $250,000 and three years of supervised release for each of the seven counts.
Jenkins also announced a two-count indictment against Scott Chamberlain, 55, stemming from a Nov. 30 incident in which he allegedly stole a watch from the St. Thomas store Jewels and attempted to rob money from the Alvaro de Lugo Post Office.
He could face up to 10 years in jail and a $250,000 fine for attempting to rob the post office and up to 10 years in jail for the grand larceny at Jewels.
No further information was provided on Chamberlain. Because of the New Year's holiday, no one could be reached for further information at the U.S. Attorney's office.
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