FBI corruption investigation targets city prosecutor

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - Honolulu prosecuting attorney Keith Kaneshiro is the target of an FBI investigation into corruption at the highest levels of law enforcement on Oahu.

On Thursday, Kaneshiro's first deputy, Chasid Sapolu, spent hours testifying before a federal grand jury. And this is not the first time.

Hawaii News Now has seen him go to the grand jury room multiple times in recent weeks.

Also called in recent weeks: Kaneshiro's executive assistant, Carol Nakamura.

Multiple, high-ranking Honolulu police officers and former police officers were also there to testify Thursday.

The grand jury will decide if Kaneshiro should face public corruption charges.

The case is connected to the one against former Police Chief Louis Kealoha and his deputy prosecutor wife, Katherine.

The Kealohas, along with multiple others HPD officers, are already awaiting trial for corruption-related crimes.

One of those charged in the Kealoha scandal is a relative of the one-time power couple; Ransen Taito has pleaded guilty to lying to the grand jury investigating the Kealohas.

In an interview Jan. 5, Taito's attorney, Michael Green, told Hawaii News Now to expect many more indictments.

"There is stuff coming down that the entire legal system is going to be ashamed of," Green said. "I mean the whole country is going to look at the potential of the prosecutor's office maybe getting charged."

Another sign federal authorities are focused on Kaneshiro — the same team of special prosecutors from San Diego who got the Kealoha indictments, is leading the Kaneshiro grand jury, too. That team is led by assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Wheat.

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