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Criminal Tax Media Releases

RELEASED: December 19, 2002

FIVE INDIVIDUALS INDICTED FOR TAX EVASION, FALSE & FRAUDULENT STATEMENTS & THEFT

The Tax Department announced that on December 18, 2002, a Honolulu grand jury returned a true bill charging the following persons with attempt to evade or defeat tax, false and fraudulent statements, and theft in the second degree:

  1. Louis Tapu and Sonia K. Tapu - Adult Corrections Officers with the Department of Public Safety with 2 counts for tax evasion for 2000 and 2001, 2 counts for false and fraudulent statements for 2000 and 2001, and one count for theft in the second degree.
  2. Richard Camacho, employee of Matson Terminals with 3 counts of tax evasion for 1999, 2000, and 2001, 3 counts of false and fraudulent statements for 1999, 2000, and 2001, and 3 counts for theft in the second degree.
  3. Austin R.K. Keanu and Elizabeth A. Keanu.  Mr. Keanu is an Adult Corrections Officer with the Department of Public Safety.  Both were charged with 2 counts of tax evasion for 2000 and 2001, 2 counts for false and fraudulent statements for 2000 and 2001, and two counts for theft in the second degree.
The penalties provided by law are class C felonies.  Upon conviction for tax evasion, one could be sentenced to prison for 5 years for each count and fined $100,000 for each count.  Upon conviction for false and fraudulent statements, on could be sentenced to priosn for 3 years for each count and fined $100,000 for each count.  Upon conviction for theft in the second degree, one could be sentenced to prison for 5 years and fined $10,000.

The Tax Department continues to encourage taxpayers to voluntarily file their tax returns.  The department will generally not initiate a criminal investigation when taxpayers voluntarily come forward to report their failure to file or other omissions. 

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