46-month sentence for Hawaii man who embezzled US funds
By JENNIFER SINCO KELLEHERJuly 1, 2021 GMT
HONOLULU (AP) — A former administrator of federal coronavirus aid funds allocated for Honolulu was sentenced Wednesday to over three years in prison for embezzling more than $500,000 in taxpayer money.
Hanalei Apioalani, 42, pleaded guilty to embezzling from the AmeriCorps program and agreeing to take a bribe to administer grants through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, known as CARES. Prosecutors said he and his wife spent the money on themselves, including $22,000 at a hotel beach club, more than $3,000 at a Hawaii water park and more than $10,000 to lease a BMW.