Ex-Army employee charged in $1M Hawaii bribery case

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - A former Army employee is expected in federal court Oct. 28 on charges that he accepted more than $1 million in bribes to influence contract awards in Hawaii.

Carlos Duque is charged with conspiracy, receipt of bribe by a public official and major fraud.

Prosecutors allege he took payments from Florida contractors Brian Kent, 59, and Leonard Pick, 62, to help them get the contract to build an innovation lab for the Hawaii Pacific Region.

The alleged crimes date to January 2021, when Duque worked as a civilian for the Department of Defense.

Kent and Pick both pleaded not guilty June 3 to charges they made the payments.

Duque was a civilian employee at the time of the alleged crimes and is also accused of making fraudulent statements about the costs related to a contract.

Conviction of the offense would require the defendant to forfeit a property and any money from which proceeds are traceable to the offenses.