Former Secretary Pleads Not Guilty To Making Illegal Political Donations

Terri Ann Otani, bottom left, waits for her attorney Doris Lum, upper left, and deputy attorney general Thomas Michener to share paperwork during Otani’s arraignment Monday, Sept. 15, 2025, in Honolulu. Otani, 70, is charged with four counts of false name contribution which occurred in 2020. She allegedly donated $2,000 to Honolulu mayoral candidate Colleen Hanabusa under the guise of relatives without their knowledge and consent. (Kevin Fujii/Civil Beat/2025)

A prominent Honolulu engineering firm’s former secretary pleaded not guilty on Monday to charges she illegally funneled money to a political candidate through her relatives. Prosecutors say Terri Ann Otani, 70, donated $2,000 to former Honolulu mayoral candidate Colleen Hanabusa in 2020 in the names of her sister and niece. Judge Ronald Johnson on Monday … Continue reading Former Secretary Pleads Not Guilty To Making Illegal Political Donations