DEPARTMENT OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL CHARGES DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS AND REHABILITATION EMPLOYEE WITH FRAUD-, THEFT- RELATED CRIMES 

News Release 2026-19 from Department of the Attorney General, April 20, 2026

HONOLULU – Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (DCR) employee Julianne Kaniaupio was arrested on charges related to fraud and theft.

On April 8, 2026, the Department of the Attorney General’s Special Investigation and Prosecution  Division (SIPD) charged Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (DCR) employee Julianne Kaniaupio with nine criminal charges for using her position to steal a credit card containing $8,960.11 from the out-processing paperwork of a Hālawa Correctional Facility inmate set for release and with the use of the credit card to withdraw $500.00 in cash before the card was deactivated. The investigation was conducted by the Department of Law Enforcement.

Kaniaupio is charged with Fraud, two counts of Official Misconduct, Credit Card Theft, Fraudulent Use of Credit Card, Unauthorized Possession of Confidential Personal Information, Attempted Theft in the Second Degree, Identity Theft in the Third Degree, and Theft in the Third Degree. Fraud is a class B felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a $20,000 fine. Official Misconduct, Credit Card Theft, Fraudulent Use of a Credit Card, Unauthorized Possession of Confidential Personal Information, Attempted Theft in the Second Degree, and Identity Theft in the Third Degree are class C felonies punishable by up to five years in prison and a $10,000 fine. Theft in the Third Degree is a misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in jail and a $2,000 fine.

“Public Servants are entrusted with significant responsibility and any abuse of that trust, especially for personal financial gain, will be investigated and prosecuted,” said Attorney General Anne Lopez. “I want to acknowledge the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation for cooperating with the investigation and helping to address this misconduct. My department remains committed to protecting the integrity of our institutions and holding individuals accountable for criminal conduct.”

The case, State v Julianne Kaniaupio, 1CPC-26-0000464, is being prosecuted by SIPD Deputy Attorney General Kyle M. Mesa. Arraignment is scheduled for April 27, 2026, at 8:30 a.m.

Criminal charges are only allegations; Kaniaupio is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

The public can report corruption, fraud and economic crime through the SIPD “Submit a Tip” website, located at https://ag.hawaii.gov/sipd/tips/. If there is an emergency or an immediate threat to life, please call 911.

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