By Craig Kojima, Star-Bulletin
Jimmy's Travel creditors, top, file out of U.S.
Bankruptcy Court yesterday in Honolulu after a
hearing for James K.S. Lee, the agency's owner.

---

Jimmy’s Travel
owner silent
in court

Lee disappoints jilted customers
by taking the Fifth Amendment

By Peter Wagner
Star-Bulletin

James K.S. Lee, owner of Jimmy's Travel Inc., hung his head and wrung his hands.

"Maybe we'd have more respect for you if you treated us with more aloha," said Nita Maxwell, among nearly 100 jilted customers who jammed a U.S. Bankruptcy Court creditors' meeting to confront Lee yesterday.

Under federal bankruptcy law, creditors have a right to question a debtor in court. But it was a disappointing day for many who came to hear Lee explain why he closed his agency without notice in June, leaving more than 2,000 customers without the Las Vegas packages they'd purchased.

By Craig Kojima, Star-Bulletin
James K.S. Lee, shown entering court , declined
to answer any questions, citing his Fifth Amendment right.

---

Flanked by his attorney Brian Pang, Lee declined to answer any questions by the court or creditors, citing his Fifth Amendment right under the constitution not to incriminate himself.

Pang said he told Lee to decline because he is under criminal investigation for theft. The 56-year-old Mililani resident was arrested last month and later released pending investigation.

Pang said Lee may be willing to explain himself to creditors after criminal questions are put to rest. But that wasn't good enough for Maxwell and her boyfriend Jimmy Camz, who were packed and ready for a June 26 trip when they learned the night before that their tickets were worthless.

"You're lucky you live in America because you can hide behind the law," Maxwell said.

The two, who paid $600 for a travel and hotel package a month earlier, found their reservations were never made.

"It's just disappointing," she said. "We work hard for our money."

According to his June 27 bankruptcy filing, Lee owes $1.3 million and has assets of about $225,000. But little of the money -- less than $2,500 -- is controlled by the court and will go toward court expenses.

The bulk of Lee's listed assets -- $200,000 -- is in a letter of credit issued by Hawaii National Bank as a deposit required by the U.S. Department of Transportation at the time Lee set up his business in January. The money apparently is under the bank's control and is to be disbursed by the bank.

The state Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Regulated Industries Complaints Office, is coordinating the filing of complaints.

Meanwhile, Lee's refusals to answer questions yesterday drew groans or titters from the crowd.

"Mr. Lee, why not look in my eyes and tell me what kind of rights I have compared to yours?" said Roger Gayatao. "I hope you enjoyed that money."

Lilly Meyers, who arranged to take a group of 21 children to the mainland, had to cancel the big trip.

"I feel for you, Mr. Lee, but what can I tell the children -- take the Fifth?" she said.