Koror, Palau – On Thursday night, May 21, 2020, Ms. Barbara Tulop, a Board Member for the Republic of Palau Foreign Investment Board (FIB), her daughter Shirley Tulop, and her son Gerald Tulop, were arrested on multiple charges.
Ms. Barbara Tulop was arrested for Misconduct in Public Office when she illegally acted under the color of office, or willfully neglected to perform the duties of her office as provided by law, by committing unsworn falsification to authorities, when she intentionally mislead a public servant in the performance of the public servant’s duty by (a) failing to disclose all her assets or income sources in a record or report required by law to be submitted to a government agency, or (b) submitted or invited reliance on said record that she knew was falsely made or completed. In addition, Ms. Barbara Tulop was charged with knowingly or willingly failing to report income and liabilities on her Financial Disclosure Statement for 2019 in violation of the Code of Ethics. Ms. Barbara Tulop was also charged with failing to pay taxes on the income she received in a sublease for calendar years 2018, 2019, and 2020.
Ms. Shirley Tulop was also charged with failure to pay taxes on the income she made in the same sublease for calendar years 2019 and 2020.
Mr. Gerald Tulop, along with Ms. Barbara Tulop and Ms. Shirley Tulop, were all charged with failure to have a business license before engaging in the business of subleasing their property located in Meketii Hamlet, Koror, Palau, for tax years 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020.
It is expected all three defendants will have their initial appearance on Friday morning, May 22, 2020, in the Trial Division of the Palau Supreme Court.
April Dawn Cripps, Special Prosecutor for the Republic of Palau, made the announcement and will be prosecuting the case with support from Jacob Gordin, Assistant Special Prosecutor.
NOTE: A criminal complaint (Information) contains allegations that a defendant committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law.
Download Case Information – ROP v. Barbara Tulop – Case Number: 20-084
Download Affidavit of Probable Cause ROP v. Barbara Tulop – Case Number:20-084