Prosecutors Made Mistake: Maoli Singer Is Not A Drug Dealer, Lawyer Says
Prosecutors blamed a “typographical error.” Maoli’s lawyer says the singer was defamed and is exploring legal options.
Federal prosecutors are admitting they made an error in court records last week that falsely suggested the popular Hawaiian reggae singer Maoli and a suspected meth supplier are the same person.
In a criminal complaint for a Maui police official accused of bribery, the U.S. Attorney’s office made reference to the host of a New Year’s party during which illegal fireworks shot into a neighbor’s home. That incident, which Hawaii News Now reported on, occurred at a party hosted by Glenn Awong, also known as Maoli. In the complaint filed on Aug. 6, prosecutors mistakenly referred to the party host as “Person 3” and later in the complaint refer to “Person 3” as a meth supplier.
That was wrong, according to a notice to the U.S. District Court filed on Tuesday by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeannette Graviss. The party host should have been listed as “Person 5,” she wrote to the judge, calling it a “typographical error.”
In the five days since the complaint first went public, the false impression has spread far and wide.
The Hawaiʻi Reggae Network, an online music streaming service, announced on Instagram it would remove Maoli from its rotation. A popular YouTuber, on an account called Connect the Dots with Jeni, posted a video discussing the complaint and speculating that Awong was Person 3. The video drew nearly 4,000 views in less than a day.
Social media also flooded with fake, AI-generated videos depicting Awong getting arrested by the FBI or standing in a prison cell with the accused Maui police lieutenant, Michael Vaituulala. The ability to comment on Maoli’s Instagram posts was deactivated Tuesday after dozens of commenters heckled him over the allegations in the complaint.
On Wednesday, John Isbell, an attorney for Awong, released a statement:
“We are pleased that the government now has publicly acknowledged that a typographical error in a prior legal filing may have been interpreted to imply that Glenn Awong — professionally known as Maoli — may have been involved in drug dealing. Prosecutors in Hawaii have now corrected the record in a subsequent public filing, making clear that Glenn was not involved in or suspected of drug dealing or any other criminal activity. Glenn is not ‘Person 3,'” Isbell said.
“While Glenn appreciates the fulsome apology he has received from authorities, he remains troubled by the way some amateur online ‘sleuths’ have misrepresented the facts of this case to menace Glenn, his wife and their children. That dangerous behavior must stop immediately – and we are exploring all legal options to hold to account those who have defamed our client and threatened the safety of the entire Awong family.”
Awong can’t sue the U.S. Attorney’s Office because court filings are protected by immunity, said Paul Alston, a Honolulu attorney who works in First Amendment law. He also can’t sue those who spoke publicly about the allegations if they were citing the court document before it was corrected.
Awong has a concert scheduled in Hilo on Aug. 29.
Vaituulala is accused of taking regular cash payments from cockfight organizers and suspected drug dealers in exchange for privileged information and protection from enforcement.
Vaituulala is being held in federal detention while his case proceeds in court. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Aug. 27. Vaituulala is currently on paid administrative leave from the Maui Police Department.
Maui Police Chief John Pelletier said during a press conference Wednesday that the department would conduct an internal investigation into the allegations against Vaituulala. Hawaiʻi County Police Chief Reed Mahuna will then review Maui’s investigation “to see if there’s anything that we missed,” Pelletier said.
Maui Police Deputy Chief Wade Maeda said the department is investigating whether any other officers were criminally involved with Vaituulala. The criminal complaint makes one reference to another officer identified only as “MPD Officer 2.” The complaint says a cooperating witness was once asked to drop off illegal fireworks with “MPD Officer 2” on Vaituulala’s behalf.
“If it is revealed that other officers were involved, they will be held administratively accountable by us,” he said.
When asked by a reporter about his close personal relationship with Vaituulala and if he had any knowledge of the allegations against him, Pelletier said he did not.
“It’s almost offensive,” he said. “We did not know.”
He went on to explain the nature of their relationship. He said the two were close and Vaituulala was present for personal moments, such as the scattering of Pelletier’s father’s ashes, but they did not socialize outside of work functions.
“Never went to a Super Bowl party, never associated at a bar outside of a work function like a retirement or a gathering like that,” he said. “So, disappointed, shocked, upset, all those reactions that each and every one of you have.”
As Pelletier exited the press conference, he declined to provide a timeline for the internal review or say whether it would be made public once completed.
“I don’t have a timeline,” he said. “We’re going to do it right, and we’ll take it as it comes.”
