Hawaiʻi Corruption Investigations

Honolulu Police Sergeant To Plead Guilty In Kealoha Case Cory Lum/Civil Beat/2018

Honolulu Police Sergeant To Plead Guilty In Kealoha Case

Daniel Sellers is one of several current and former officers charged in a federal investigation.

Police Chief: Sharing Information With Kaneshiro Not In City’s ‘Best Interest’ Cory Lum/Civil Beat

Police Chief: Sharing Information With Kaneshiro Not In City’s ‘Best Interest’

UPDATED: Mayor’s office is “seriously considering” Susan Ballard’s request that the prosecuting attorney be excluded from public safety meetings because of reports he’s under investigation.

Civil Beat Law Center Files To Unseal Secret Kealoha Court Documents Cory Lum/Civil Beat/2018

Civil Beat Law Center Files To Unseal Secret Kealoha Court Documents

Even if the documents refer to Katherine Kealoha’s medical condition, other information should be made public, the center says.

Keith Kaneshiro’s Raised Middle Finger Cory Lum/Civil Beat/2017

Keith Kaneshiro’s Raised Middle Finger

Instead of responding directly to reports of a federal corruption investigation into his office, the Honolulu prosecuting attorney kicks up a cloud of smoke.

Honolulu’s Chief Deputy Prosecutor Taking Leave Amid Federal Corruption Probe Honolulu Prosecuting Attorney's Office

Honolulu’s Chief Deputy Prosecutor Taking Leave Amid Federal Corruption Probe

Chasid Sapolu was identified as a “subject” last week in the widening investigation into local law enforcement.

Experts: Kaneshiro Can Talk About Federal Investigation If He Wants To Cory Lum/Civil Beat

Experts: Kaneshiro Can Talk About Federal Investigation If He Wants To

There’s no rule that prohibits Honolulu’s elected prosecutor from telling the public whether he is the target of a Justice Department probe.

Honolulu Police Corruption Probe Now Includes Katherine Kealoha’s Brother Cory Lum/Civil Beat

Honolulu Police Corruption Probe Now Includes Katherine Kealoha’s Brother

A federal grand jury continues to expand its investigation, now delving into prescription pain medications that were seized during a 2015 drug raid.

Can Someone Please Tell Us What The Hell Is Going On At The City Prosecutor’s Office? Cory Lum/Civil Beat/2017

Can Someone Please Tell Us What The Hell Is Going On At The City Prosecutor’s Office?

Keith Kaneshiro may be the target of a federal investigation into corruption. But his office will neither confirm nor deny.

Federal Investigators Are Digging Deeper Into Honolulu Prosecutor’s Office Cory Lum/Civil Beat

Federal Investigators Are Digging Deeper Into Honolulu Prosecutor’s Office

The Justice Department inquiry into Honolulu police corruption has lasted four years and resulted in numerous indictments. But Keith Kaneshiro isn’t talking.

Kealohas’ Bank Fraud Trial Moved To June Cory Lum/Civil Beat

Kealohas’ Bank Fraud Trial Moved To June

A federal magistrate granted a request to postpone the trial because an undisclosed medical condition would hamper Katherine Kealoha’s ability to participate in her defense.

Kealohas’ Bank Fraud Trial Delayed Until 2019 Cory Lum/Civil Beat

Kealohas’ Bank Fraud Trial Delayed Until 2019

The federal magistrate scolded the prosecutor for claiming Katherine Kealoha had a history of “feigning serious illness.”

Ex-HPD Sergeant Accused Of Sex Assault During Driver Test Cory Lum/Civil Beat/2017

Ex-HPD Sergeant Accused Of Sex Assault During Driver Test

After retiring from full-time police work in 2011 after a 31-year career, he was working on a short-term contract giving road tests.

Katherine Kealoha Resigns From Honolulu Prosecutor’s Office Cory Lum/Civil Beat/2018

Katherine Kealoha Resigns From Honolulu Prosecutor’s Office

She and her husband, former Police Chief Louis Kealoha, face their first trial on bank fraud charges in November.

Ex-Maui Police Officer Sentenced In Theft, Bribery Scheme Wikimedia Commons

Ex-Maui Police Officer Sentenced In Theft, Bribery Scheme

The officer took $1,800 from a man during a traffic stop in 2015.

Hawaii Supreme Court To Fine-Tune Open Meetings Law Cory Lum/Civil Beat/2015

Hawaii Supreme Court To Fine-Tune Open Meetings Law

A court opinion in the Honolulu Police Commission’s Kealoha case would also affect the way public boards handle other high-profile staff departures.

 

Former Maui Officer Sentenced For Role In Bribery Scheme Wikimedia Commons

Former Maui Officer Sentenced For Role In Bribery Scheme

He was accused of helping another former cop bribe the victim of a theft committed during a 2015 traffic stop.

Judge: Officer in Kealoha Civil Case Entitled to City-Funded Attorney Cory Lum/Civil Beat

Judge: Officer in Kealoha Civil Case Entitled to City-Funded Attorney

The court ruled the city must pay for the defense of HPD officer Ming-Hung Nguyen because he was sued for actions “done in performance of duty.”

Katherine Kealoha’s Boyfriend Charged With Lying About Their Affair Nick Grube/Civil Beat

Katherine Kealoha’s Boyfriend Charged With Lying About Their Affair

New court documents say the wife of the former Honolulu police chief and her lover worked together to hide their relationship from federal investigators.

Ige: Hawaii Not Ready For Police Standards Board Cory Lum/Civil Beat

Ige: Hawaii Not Ready For Police Standards Board

A bill to create the board passed unanimously, but if the governor follows through on his intent-to-veto list, Hawaii will remain the only state without one.

Here’s A New Twist In The Honolulu Corruption Case Cory Lum/Civil Beat/2019

Here’s A New Twist In The Honolulu Corruption Case

Recently unsealed court documents point to a questionable link between a suspect in a drug case and the Honolulu prosecutor’s office.

New Indictment Against Kealohas Focuses on Bank Fraud, Identify Theft Anthony Quintano/Civil Beat/2017

New Indictment Against Kealohas Focuses on Bank Fraud, Identify Theft

Defense attorneys had wrongly hoped federal prosecutors were dropping conspiracy charges involving an alleged mailbox theft.

Mayor Won’t Get Power To Hire Or Fire Honolulu Police Chief Anthony Quintano/Civil Beat

Mayor Won’t Get Power To Hire Or Fire Honolulu Police Chief

Councilman Ikaika Anderson pulls back his proposals to shake up how the city selects police and fire chiefs and commissions.

The Case Of A Honolulu Cop Fired For Domestic Violence Is About To Go Public Anthony Quintano/Civil Beat

The Case Of A Honolulu Cop Fired For Domestic Violence Is About To Go Public

Darren Cachola, a former HPD sergeant, could get his job back four years after he was caught on tape beating his girlfriend inside a Honolulu restaurant.

Should The Mayor Choose Honolulu’s Police Chief? Cory Lum/Civil Beat

Should The Mayor Choose Honolulu’s Police Chief?

One Honolulu council member is pushing to amend the city charter to revamp how the chief and police commissioners are chosen.

Kealohas Will Face Two Trials in Federal Corruption Case Cory Lum/Civil Beat

Kealohas Will Face Two Trials in Federal Corruption Case

A federal judge’s ruling that the couple should receive separate trials on various charges was a legal victory for the defendants.

 

Will The Kealoha Case Be One Big Show Or Separate Trials? Cory Lum/Civil Beat

Will The Kealoha Case Be One Big Show Or Separate Trials?

A judge will soon decide whether to grant defendants’ wishes to split up the case or fulfill prosecutors’ desire to keep it intact.

How ‘Blind Faith’ Led To Hawaii’s Biggest Police Corruption Scandal Cory Lum/Civil Beat

How ‘Blind Faith’ Led To Hawaii’s Biggest Police Corruption Scandal

Federal public defenders quickly unraveled a case about the alleged theft of a mailbox. How did  U.S. attorneys miss the clues?

Kealohas, Accused Cops Plead Not Guilty To Newest Charges Cory Lum/Civil Beat

Kealohas, Accused Cops Plead Not Guilty To Newest Charges

Federal prosecutors added three new charges in the corruption case involving the former police chief and his deputy prosecutor wife.

New Charges Issued In Kealohas’ Corruption Case Cory Lum/Civil Beat

New Charges Issued In Kealohas’ Corruption Case

The updated indictment adds a former Honolulu police captain to the alleged general criminal conspiracy.

Court Documents: The Kealohas Agree To Sell Their Home Cory Lum/Civil Beat

Court Documents: The Kealohas Agree To Sell Their Home

The embattled ex-police chief and his prosecutor wife were under pressure from a credit union and their former lawyer to pay debts.

Lienholder On Ex-Police Chief’s Home Wants It Sold Cory Lum/Civil Beat

Lienholder On Ex-Police Chief’s Home Wants It Sold

Attorney Kevin Sumida wants to recoup money he says he’s owed by Louis and Katherine Kealoha.

Ex-Honolulu Police Chief Aims To Fight Charges In 2 Trials Cory Lum/Civil Beat

Ex-Honolulu Police Chief Aims To Fight Charges In 2 Trials

Louis Kealoha wants one trial for allegations of framing a relative for a mailbox theft and another for bank fraud.

Lawsuit: Ex-Honolulu Police Chief, Wife Default On $1M Mortgage Cory Lum/Civil Beat

Lawsuit: Ex-Honolulu Police Chief, Wife Default On $1M Mortgage

Hawaii Central Federal Credit Union claims Louis and Katherine Kealoha have stopped making house payments.

Lawsuit: Ex-Honolulu Police Chief, Wife Default On $1M Mortgage Cory Lum/Civil Beat

Lawsuit: Ex-Honolulu Police Chief, Wife Default On $1M Mortgage

Hawaii Central Federal Credit Union claims Louis and Katherine Kealoha have stopped making house payments.

HPD Lieutenant Seeks Separate Trials In Police Corruption Case Cory Lum/Civil Beat

HPD Lieutenant Seeks Separate Trials In Police Corruption Case

An attorney for Derek Hahn says two schemes are alleged, and allegations against officers only involve one of them.

Ex-HPD Major Wants Separate Trial In Corruption Case Honolulu Police Department

Ex-HPD Major Wants Separate Trial In Corruption Case

An attorney for Gordon Shiraishi says he shouldn’t be lumped in with the other defendants in the Kealoha case.

Honolulu Police Commission Gets New Leadership Cory Lum/Civil Beat

Honolulu Police Commission Gets New Leadership

Loretta Sheehan was a sharp critic of former chief Louis Kealoha and how the commission handled problems during his tenure.

How Honolulu’s New Police Chief Is Shaking Up A Troubled Department Anthony Quintano/Civil Beat

How Honolulu’s New Police Chief Is Shaking Up A Troubled Department

In her first four months, Chief Susan Ballard is disrupting old policies and practices with a new vision.

SHOPO V. Ballard: Don’t Let The Police Union Bully HPD’s New Chief Anthony Quintano/Civil Beat

SHOPO V. Ballard: Don’t Let The Police Union Bully HPD’s New Chief

The police union’s complaint to the state Labor Board illustrates how hard it is to change the good old boy culture at the Honolulu Police Department.

Hawaii Police Union Strikes Back At Chief Ballard Over Reassignments Nathan Eagle/Civil Beat/2013

Hawaii Police Union Strikes Back At Chief Ballard Over Reassignments

SHOPO files a complaint alleging the Honolulu police chief made “false and disparaging remarks” about union leaders.

New HPD Report Shows Just How Hard It Is To Fire A Bad Cop Cory Lum/Civil Beat

New HPD Report Shows Just How Hard It Is To Fire A Bad Cop

Dozens of Honolulu Police Department officers are disciplined each year but a lengthy appeal process often delays final decisions.

Botched Illegal Gambling Case Prompts Lawsuit Against Prosecutors Cory Lum/Civil Beat

Botched Illegal Gambling Case Prompts Lawsuit Against Prosecutors

Tracy Yoshimura says that Honolulu Prosecuting Attorney Keith Kaneshiro charged him with crimes after he challenged him publicly in the press.

Officers At Bar Shooting Denied City-Paid Legal Defense Anthony Quintano/Civil Beat

Officers At Bar Shooting Denied City-Paid Legal Defense

They were off-duty, out of uniform and drinking when HPD Sgt. Anson Kimura accidentally shot a bartender.

Will The HPD Scandal Jump-Start Police Reform In The Legislature? Cory Lum/Civil Beat

Will The HPD Scandal Jump-Start Police Reform In The Legislature?

So far, lawmakers have failed to establish a standards and training board and lift the secrecy in police misconduct cases.

Another Guilty Plea In Federal Police Corruption Investigation Anthony Quintano/Civil Beat

Another Guilty Plea In Federal Police Corruption Investigation

UPDATED: Prosecutors say Ransen Taito was a victim of Katherine Kealoha’s financial crimes, but he helped her cover them up anyway.

Woman Sues Hawaii For Hiring Ex-Cop Who Then Assaulted Her Anthony Quintano/Civil Beat

Woman Sues Hawaii For Hiring Ex-Cop Who Then Assaulted Her

The Department of Land and Natural Resources ignored HPD’s warnings not to hire Ethan Ferguson.

Suits Against Honolulu Cops Cite ‘Culture Of Silence’ At HPD Cory Lum/Civil Beat/2015

Suits Against Honolulu Cops Cite ‘Culture Of Silence’ At HPD

An attorney says the incidents that injured his clients could have been prevented if officers had been disciplined in the past.

New Police Chief Reassigns Union President To Patrol Shift Anthony Quintano/Civil Beat

New Police Chief Reassigns Union President To Patrol Shift

Susan Ballard says she had concerns with how the department’s Peer Support Unit was led by SHOPO chief Tenari Maafala.

Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell Builds A New-Look Police Commission Cory Lum/Civil Beat

Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell Builds A New-Look Police Commission

His nomination of Shannon Alivado, if confirmed, would mean all seven commissioners would be his appointees.

Hawaii AG Won’t File Charges In Toddler Abuse Case

Hawaii AG Won’t File Charges In Toddler Abuse Case

UPDATED: Peyton Valiente almost died from injuries suffered at a day care, and the Honolulu Police Department acknowledged botching the investigation.