RIKI MAEDA, Stole from soccer group

A former Maui youth soccer official on Thursday was sentenced to 10 months in federal prison to be followed by five years’ of supervised release for stealing more than $180,000 from the Hawaii Youth Soccer Association Maui Youth League.

Riki Maeda, 57, of Pukalani was ordered by U.S. District Court Judge Helen Gillmor to turn himself in to authorities on April 4, said Amalia Fenton, assistant U.S. Attorney in Hawaii.

Fenton said the actual amount stolen was $180,203.73, less the amounts Maeda repaid to the league before the crime was detected.

The restitution at the time of sentencing was just over $75,000, but Maeda paid that back in full by the sentencing date, Fenton said.

According to a plea agreement in the case, Maeda was HYSA Maui league treasurer when he wrote unauthorized checks to himself and forged the signatures of league officials from September 2014 to March 2018.

Maeda wrote notations in the memo section on some checks to make it appear they were written to Maeda to reimburse him for legitimate league expenses, a plea agreement said. He also made two unauthorized cash withdrawals from the league’s bank account.

Last year, Maeda was released on an unsecured $25,000 bond and was placed in the custody of his wife. He was ordered not to work or volunteer in a position with potential access to cash unless the employer or organization was notified about the charge against him.