Hawaiʻi Corruption Investigations

Hawaiʻi Supreme Court Justice Apologizes For ‘Misinterpreting’ Case Cory Lum/Civil Beat/2017

Hawaiʻi Supreme Court Justice Apologizes For ‘Misinterpreting’ Case

Legal experts said Sabrina McKenna’s opinion on the case involving three former city officials was not related to the matter before the court.

Convicted Officials May Be Innocent, Hawaiʻi Chief Justice Suggests  Cory Lum/Civil Beat/2017

Convicted Officials May Be Innocent, Hawaiʻi Chief Justice Suggests 

Three former Honolulu officials may have an opening to get their criminal records thrown out, one legal expert says.

Pay-To-Play: Hawaiʻi CEO Pressured Staff To Make Political Gifts David Croxford/Civil Beat/2025

Pay-To-Play: Hawaiʻi CEO Pressured Staff To Make Political Gifts

Court documents in an ongoing felony case reveal new details about how employees were reimbursed for making campaign donations.

Disgraced Police Chief Louis Kealoha Still Owes Honolulu $250,000 Cory Lum/Civil Beat/2016

Disgraced Police Chief Louis Kealoha Still Owes Honolulu $250,000

Years after his corruption conviction, the ex-chief hasn’t returned his retirement money to taxpayers as promised. Now that he’s back on Oʻahu, is there any hope?

Federal Judge Won’t Make Bribery Investigations Public — So We’re Appealing David Croxford/Civil Beat/2024

Federal Judge Won’t Make Bribery Investigations Public — So We’re Appealing

The details behind bribery convictions of two Hawaiʻi lawmakers are vital to restoring the public’s confidence in the integrity of our political system.

‘This Has To End’: Revelations Renew Calls For Government Accountability David Croxford/Civil Beat/2025

‘This Has To End’: Revelations Renew Calls For Government Accountability

House and Senate leadership have little to say about the subject of a federal bribery investigation giving one of their 2022 colleagues $35,000.

FBI Recorded Hawaiʻi Lawmaker Being Given $35,000

FBI Recorded Hawaiʻi Lawmaker Being Given $35,000

Three years after the handoff, the identities of an unnamed man and the lawmaker he paid remain unknown to the public.

Honolulu Officials Who Arranged Illegal Kealoha Payout Agree To Pay Up  David Croxford/Civil Beat/2025

Honolulu Officials Who Arranged Illegal Kealoha Payout Agree To Pay Up 

One of the last chapters of Honolulu’s infamous Kealoha scandal has come to an end. 

Covid Relief Fraud Gets Hawaiʻi Defense Contractor 87 Months In Prison Courtesy: Hawaii News Now

Covid Relief Fraud Gets Hawaiʻi Defense Contractor 87 Months In Prison

Martin Kao, convicted of stealing pandemic-era relief funds, was also ordered to pay $13 million in restitution and serve 12,800 hours of community service.

Mike Miske’s Half-Brother, ‘Key Player’ In Organized Crime, Gets 20 Years AP Photo/Jennifer Kelleher/2024

Mike Miske’s Half-Brother, ‘Key Player’ In Organized Crime, Gets 20 Years

John Stancil pleaded guilty last year to one count of racketeering conspiracy, leaving Miske to stand trial alone.