Bribery Case: Architect, 92, On Trial For Failed $20 Gift To City Worker
An elderly architect tried to slip an employee what he called a gratuity. County prosecutors say it was a bribe. A judge will decide.
Honolulu permit office worker Alexander Laurente was shaking the hand of one of his permit applicants in 2022 when he felt something strange in his palm.
When Laurente was finally able to break free of the prolonged embrace with architect Kiyoshi Toi, Laurente caught a glimpse of what appeared to be cash. Laurente refused the money and reported the incident, resulting in a criminal charge for Toi and a trial that began on Wednesday.
“I’m telling him: No, no,” Laurente recalled on the witness stand. “He’s telling me to take it.”
A recording of the exchange, captured by a city security camera, was played in court showing Laurente backing away, shaking his head and leaving the meeting shortly thereafter.
County prosecutors charged Toi with bribery of a public servant, a class B felony, which carries a potential prison sentence of up to 10 years.
Toi, who took the stand as well, said he tried to give Laurente a $20 bill as a gratuity, but only as a show of appreciation and kindness. He chose the amount of money, he said, based on the price of oxtail soup at a restaurant he likes.
“I enjoyed it,” Toi said, “and I thought he might enjoy it.”
Laurente said Toi never mentioned lunch, and the attempted hand-off made him uncomfortable.
A Gift Rejected
In Toi’s defense, his attorney Leighton Lee said his client had no intent of influencing the permit worker and simply wanted to express his gratitude for helping with his permit.
Toi, 92, grew up in a different time and place, Lee explained in an opening argument.
Raised in Japan in the 1930s, Toi testified was taught a moral value system called shushin that emphasized the importance of expressing gratitude, including with money. Toi said he learned these values in grammar school in Japan and moved to Hawaiʻi around the age of 12.
Toi wore a hearing aid throughout the trial and at many points struggled to understand what was being asked of him on the stand. Throughout his testimony, he asked both the prosecutor and his defense attorney to restate their questions, and at several points he seemed confused, prompting State Court Judge Kevin Souza to intervene to provide clarity.
Lee emphasized there was no evidence of malintent on Toi’s part. Toi and Laurente both testified that Toi never asked for any special treatment. The money was given discreetly, folded and disguised in a handshake, because Toi didn’t want to flaunt his gift, Lee said.
Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Lydia Fuatagavi argued Toi’s intent to influence Laurente was inherent in the transaction, given that Toi’s permit application was still pending, and Laurente had discretion over approving it.
The application had already dragged on for nearly a year and was at risk of being canceled due to a city policy that can force applicants to restart the permitting process if it’s not completed within 365 days, Fuatagavi said.
Once the permit was issued, Fuatagavi said, Toi was due to be paid for his services, so he stood to benefit from a quicker permit. And regarding all the talk of gratitude, when Fuatagavi asked Laurente if Toi had ever actually thanked him, he said no.
Fuatagavi asked Toi during cross-examination whether he’d ever given money to other government workers, and he said yes, citing $5 given to a clerk years ago.
Several Department of Planning and Permitting employees who witnessed the incident between Toi and Laurente testified. All said they are aware they are not allowed to accept gifts from the public due to ethics rules.
In a far larger case in 2021, federal officials charged five city permit workers and architect Bill Wong of bribery. All six pleaded guilty and served prison time. In some cases, the workers received tens of thousands of dollars for expediting certain permit applications.
The scandal attracted public scrutiny to the permitting department and also drew attention to the infrequency of public corruption cases brought by local prosecutors. Honolulu Prosecuting Attorney Steve Alm’s office charged Toi in 2023.
Judge Souza will hear closing arguments tomorrow afternoon and will rule on Toi’s guilt or innocence. Toi waived his right to a jury trial.
