Dion Taiapa sentenced; gold bullion still unaccounted for

Dion Robert Taiapa, a 501 deportee, was sentenced to prison for laundering $662,000 through gold bullion purchases. The money was stolen from a victim trying to buy a house. Judge Nevin Dawson denied Taiapa's request for home detention, citing the missing gold. Taiapa and his accomplice converted most of the stolen money into gold bars before their arrest. Authorities have not recovered the gold, which has increased in value over the past two years. Police are still searching for its whereabouts.