After raising money for more than a year, the band discovered that the money was gone and the company they had worked with to arrange the tour was not taking their calls.
Today, a federal grand jury issued a 15-count indictment against the owner of Performing Hawaii Tours, Calliope "Ope" Saaga, charging him with wire fraud and money laundering.
According to the indictment, Saaga, removed the money from a bank account in 12 equal installments of $30,000 and used it for Las Vegas gambling sprees, visits to his native Samoa, a trip to Disneyland, and for other personal items.
Though the Willard High School band is the only one mentioned in the indictment, Performing Hawaii Tours also ripped off schools in Arkansas.
On May 30, 2013, a Pulaski County, Arkansas, Circuit Court Judge ordered Saaga to pay more than $4 million in restitution and damages after finding that Performing Hawaii Tours had ripped off the Fort Smith Southside High School Band and the east Arkansas-based "Spirit of Arkansas Band."
According to the complaint filed against Saaga by Arkansas Attorney General Dustin McDaniel:
As part of his travel and tour services, Ope Saaga advertised that he could help high school marching bands organize trips to and activities in the Hawaiian Islands.
Ope Saaga advertised to these high school marching bands that they would have "the trip of a lifetime."
Ope Saaga did not make good on these promises.
In an effort to attract high school marching bands to his travel and tour services, Ope Saaga offered for one price, per individual:
(a) Travel and airfare;
(b) Lodging
(c) Lei greetings;
(d) Full-time tour guides;
(e) Various destinations tours, including island tours, cookouts, visits to pineapple plantations, tours of Pearl Harbor, dinner cruises, catamaran rides, snorkeling, and hikes to scenic and natural areas;
(f) The opportunity to play, as a band, at the Pearl Harbor Visitors' Center;
(g) The opportunity to play, as a band, in the Pan-Pacific Parade; and
(h) Travel insurance.
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