By Ken Sakamoto, Star-Bulletin
Bishop Estate Chairman Richard "Dickie" Wong, with two
of his daughters, leaves court yesterday after being
booked and released on bail.

Trustee Wong, wife
booked at courthouse

By Rick Daysog
Star-Bulletin

One day after he was indicted by a grand jury, Bishop Estate Chairman Richard "Dickie" Wong surrendered to the sheriff's office.

Wong and his wife, Mari, who was charged by the grand jury for criminal conspiracy and for hindering prosecution, appeared at the Honolulu District Courthouse yesterday afternoon, where they were booked, fingerprinted, photographed and released on bail.

Trustee Wong, a former state Senate president, had no comment as he left the courthouse, accompanied by family members and his attorneys Eric Seitz and Jerel Fonseca.

Seitz said Wong plans to plead not guilty at his arraignment, scheduled for Monday.

The grand jury on Monday indicted Wong for theft, conspiracy and perjury over his alleged role in a kickback scheme involving Wong's brother-in-law, developer Jeffrey Stone, who also was indicted by the grand jury for commercial bribery and conspiracy.

The indictment said Stone in 1996 paid an inflated price for Wong's upscale Makiki condominium. That came after the estate gave Stone and his partner a sweetheart deal when they purchased the fee interest to the 219-unit Kalele Kai condominium project in Hawaii Kai for $21.9 million.

Wong has denied wrongdoing, saying he recused himself from all discussions relating to Kalele Kai. Wong has argued that the estate profited from the Kalele Kai deal.

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