FBI probes charges
of liquor-panel bribes

Some inspectors are accused
of being bribed by bar owners

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By Rod Antone
rantone@starbulletin.com

The FBI is investigating allegations of corruption within the Honolulu Liquor Commission.

"It's an investigation into whether some liquor inspectors are accepting bribes from bar owners," said City Councilman John Henry Felix.

FBI officials along with the Honolulu Police Department, using a warrant, searched the commission's offices at 711 Kapiolani Blvd. last week.

"The FBI has secured certain records of the Liquor Commission," Felix said yesterday. Felix is chairman of the Council's Planning and Public Safety Committee, which oversees the commission.

"I'm encouraging the administration and the Liquor Commission to fully cooperate with the FBI investigation," Felix said.

Sources said that the FBI investigation involves five or more commission investigators who may have accepted bribes.

FBI spokeswoman Pam McCullough would not confirm whether a search was even conducted. McCullough only confirmed that there was an ongoing investigation involving "allegations of corruption on the enforcement side of the Honolulu Liquor Commission."

City Corporation Counsel David Arakawa also said he could not comment on the investigation, but pointed out that it was more than a year ago that the city administration asked the HPD to look into allegations against liquor inspectors.

Liquor Commission Administrator Wallace Weatherwax also declined to comment, but provided general information about his investigators. Weatherwax said out of 15 active investigator positions, five are open.

Weatherwax also said that investigators have a 40-hour workweek with both day and night shifts and that the number of routine checks of liquor establishments "varies widely." Weatherwax added that the number of actual complaints investigated weekly is approximately 10 to 15.

Though commission inspectors are responsible for routine checks and investigating formal complaints against liquor-serving establishments, they do not collect the fines imposed on licensees. According to Liquor Commission officials, the collection of fines is processed through the commission's administrative services officer or through an outside collection agency.

Liquor Commissioner Dennis Enomoto said he was unaware of any FBI investigation or of a search warrant being executed last week. As for the allegations regarding investigators, Enomoto would only say that the commission is "trying to make sure everyone is doing their job."

The last time the commission was the subject of an investigation was in 1988 when the City Finance Department hired Goodenow Associates Inc. -- a private detective agency -- to look into similar allegations. After a yearlong investigation, Goodenow found evidence that a number of commission inspectors were drinking on the job and accepting food, drinks and cash bribes from liquor establishments. Goodenow officials said yesterday that the FBI had not contacted them regarding the current investigation.