Grand jury indicts again
By Debra Barayuga
in Ewa Villages fraud
Star-BulletinA ninth person has been indicted in the relocation fraud that cost the city thousands of dollars in the Ewa Villages revitalization project.
And one of those indicted in May was re-indicted on additional charges.
A grand jury yesterday indicted Kenneth A. Lauahi for second-degree theft and second-degree forgery. He allegedly accepted more than $300. Also, from Oct. 31, 1993 to Jan. 14, 1994, Lauahi allegedly falsified a proposal dated Oct. 31, 1993 and an invoice dated Nov. 16, 1993 to Benton Post.
Lauahi, an electrical contractor, last night said he was "dumbfounded" over the charges and intends to fight them in court. "This is bull-crap."
He said he has done electrical work for a couple of the people named in the investigation but declined to go into details.
The grand jury also charged Donna Hashimoto-Abelaye, co-owner of Specialty Pacific Builders, with first-degree theft, its value exceeding $20,000, between March 6, 1997 and May 25, 1998. She was also charged with second-degree forgery for falsifying invoices dated April 1 to May 2, 1997, relating to the relocation of American Welding.
Prosecutors believe fired city housing administrator Michael Kahapea illegally hired and then paid city funds to friends and relatives who billed the city for moving work that was never done or done at inflated costs.
Kahapea was charged with 47 counts of theft, forgery, unlawful ownership of a business, money-laundering, bribery and failure to report income. He contended he was only following supervisor's orders.
Hashimoto-Abelaye was initially indicted May 26 on 11 counts of theft, forgery, unlawful ownership or operation of a business, money laundering and failure to report income. Specialty Builders allegedly overcharged for moves. Letterheads from other fictitious bidders of city contracts were recovered from Hashimoto-Abelaye's office.
An office worker with Specialty Builders in July was the latest to be arrested in connection with the investigation, which began late last year. The woman, 48, was released pending further investigation.
