City Worker Admits Taking Bribes For Registrations
HONOLULU — A former city worker Monday admitted taking thousands of dollars in bribes by selling vehicle registrations at lower prices.
Brian Hamasaki, 51, was a clerk at the Downtown Satellite City Hall. For 17 years he worked extra hours selling vehicle registrations, mostly for big commercial trucks, prosecutors said.
“The annual sticker that you need for the license plate, he would update that for half the cost that it would normally require,” Deputy Prosecutor Chris Van Marter said.
Hamasaki committed bribery by taking money from the companies and theft from taxpayers by not depositing weight tax money into the city treasury. City records going back only six years show one company paid Hamasaki $17,000 when it should have paid the city $34,000, officials said.
Hamasaki admitted the scam in court Monday and also to unrelated crystal methamphetamine and marijuana charges.
At least five different trucking companies were paying Hamasaki to get discounts on their weight taxes, prosecutors said. When he tried to increase his rates, one of them turned him in, officials said.
“Why did he get caught?” KITV reporter Daryl Huff asked.
“Because he got greedy and wanted more,” Van Marter said.
Hamasaki may ask for probation. Prosecutors said they want up to 10 years in prison. The city fired Hamasaki and audited all of his transactions.
Prosecutors said charges against the truck companies and individuals who bribed Hamasaki are still being considered.