Salvation Army theft suspect is ex-convict
The fundraiser defrauded an elderly couple of more than $2 million in 1996
A Salvation Army Hawaii employee who allegedly stole more than $150,000 in donations here has prior federal convictions for defrauding an elderly Colorado couple of more than $2 million, according to police.
Timothy Peter Janusz, a fundraiser for the Salvation Army, is being held in lieu of $1 million cash bail for one count of first-degree theft.
Salvation Army officials received an anonymous e-mail on March 31 saying that Janusz was committing fraud against the elderly.
The e-mail prompted Salvation Army officials to investigate. They found three $50,000 checks made out to the "Kaspick Holding Company" in a locked cabinet in Janusz' office, according to a police affidavit. The affidavit went on to say that Janusz was listed as the controlling agent for the Kaspick Holding Co.
According to the affidavit, all three checks were issued by Franklin C. Geiger, who said they were supposed to be gifts to the Salvation Army and not for Janusz' personal use.
On Wednesday police seized Janusz' three accounts at the Kailua branch of the Bank of Hawaii, where he did business as the Kaspick Holding Co. Ltd. and K.I. Consulting Ltd. Besides the three checks, records were discovered including a gift to the Salvation Army of a deed to four vacant lots in Arizona estimated to be worth $18,000 per lot, and another Salvation Army gift of Big Island property in Keeau valued at $127,000.
Both properties were allegedly transferred to K.I. Consulting Ltd. in November and December 2005 and the Salvation Army received no proceeds from those transactions.
Police also discovered that Janusz had been convicted of defrauding an elderly couple in Colorado of more than $2 million in 1996. He was sentenced to 63 months in prison and ordered to pay $184,530.70 in restitution. Janusz, a financial planner for the couple, deposited their checks into his accounts and forged the couple's signatures to transfer money from their various bank accounts, according to court records.
Federal documents filed in Colorado show Janusz transferred $2,263,000 to his accounts and used $109,748 for his personal use. He loaned another $1.1 million to third parties without the elderly couple's consent.
Given Janusz's criminal history, white-collar crime investigators said they asked for high bail because they were not sure if he had other sources of money.
"We just don't know," said HPD Lt. Jeff Richards. "We're just trying to cover all bases."
According to the police affidavit, Janusz was employed at the Salvation Army beginning July 9, 2003. Police said he is also an instructor at the Aiea campus of the Wayland Baptist University, where they arrested him on Thursday.