Hearing set for ex-OHA aide accused of wire fraud

HONOLULU, Hawaii (HawaiiNewsNow) - A hearing is set Friday for a former Office of Hawaiian Affairs aide accused of wire fraud.

Agents with Homeland Security Investigations arrested Paul Harleman just before he attempted to flee the country.

Court documents said Harleman used his firm, Precision Accounting Hawaii, to defraud an Oahu landscaping business out more than $415,000.

Authorities said he did it by routing payroll payments into his own account.

Harleman allegedly told the landscaping business he spent the money on Bitcoin investments.

Federal officials arrested Harleman before a scheduled flight to the Netherlands last week.

Harleman formerly worked as an aide to Office of Hawaiian Affairs trustee Kelii Akina. OHA said his last day at the agency was April 19.