The Maui News

The Hawaii U.S. Attorney’s Office collected nearly $2.1 million from criminal and civil cases in fiscal year 2022, including $75,000 from former Maui state senator J. Kalani English as part of a $100,000 fine for accepting bribes while in office.

The bulk of the money, more than $1.5 million, came from criminal cases, while just under $554,364 came from civil cases. The Hawaii U.S. Attorney’s Office also worked with other U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the U.S. Department of Justice to collect nearly $8 million in additional funds from civil cases that the offices pursued jointly.

“Recouping money owed to the United States, as well as obtaining financial recoveries from those who violate the law, are critical aspects of our system of justice,” Hawaii U.S. Attorney Clare Connors said in a news release Tuesday. “We will vigorously pursue economic sanctions and collections on behalf of our community.”

In August, the District of Hawaii recovered $75,000 from English, the former majority leader of the state Senate, in partial payment of the $100,000 fine imposed for honest services wire fraud. Last year, English pleaded guilty to taking bribes in exchange for influencing legislation on cesspools. He was sentenced to 40 months, or just over three years, in federal prison, in addition to the fine.

Of the cases jointly worked, more than $7.5 million came from reimbursements and compensation for natural resource damages associated with the release or threatened release of hazardous substances at the former Oahu Sugar pesticide-mixing area within the Pearl Harbor Superfund Site.

The U.S. Attorney’s Offices, along with the department’s litigating divisions, are responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the U.S. and criminal debts owed to federal crime victims. The law requires defendants to pay restitution to certain federal crime victims who have suffered a physical injury or financial loss. While restitution is paid to the victim, criminal fines and felony assessments are paid to the department’s Crime Victims Fund, which distributes the funds collected to federal and state victim compensation and victim assistance programs.

In fiscal year 2021, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Hawaii, working with partner agencies and divisions, collected just over $1 million in asset forfeiture actions. Forfeited assets deposited into the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund are used to restore funds to crime victims and for a variety of law enforcement purposes.