HONOLULU – In a shocking turn of events, a massive Ponzi scheme mastermind has been brought to justice, with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Hawaii collecting a staggering $6,638,788.11 from civil and criminal actions in Fiscal Year 2023.
The scheme, orchestrated by George Lindell, induced 166 individuals to invest over $26 million dollars in what turned out to be a complex web of deceit. Lindell, convicted in 2015 after a 27-day trial, was ordered to pay restitution in a bankruptcy proceeding, resulting in over $3.2 million being recovered in 2023 alone.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Hawaii, led by U.S. Attorney Clare E. Connors, has been working tirelessly to bring financial penalties and restitution obligations to those who have violated our laws. ‘Obtaining money in satisfaction of a criminal sentence or civil judgment is particularly important and remains one of our foremost objectives,’ said Connors.
But Lindell’s case is just one example of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Hawaii’s commitment to justice. In 2023, the office also recovered over $109,000 through the sentence imposed on Garrett Okubo, a physical therapist convicted in 2019 of submitting false claims to obtain payment for physical therapy services to TRICARE, Medicare, Medicaid, and HMSA.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Hawaii is responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the U.S. as well as criminal debts owed to federal crime victims. The law requires defendants to pay restitution to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered a physical injury or financial loss.
Additionally, the U.S. Attorney’s office in Hawaii, working with partner agencies and divisions, collected $1,000,765 in asset forfeiture actions in FY 2023. Forfeited assets deposited into the Assets Forfeiture Fund are used to restore funds to crime victims and for a variety of law enforcement purposes.
Connors praised the hard work and dedication of her team, stating, ‘The imposition of financial penalties and restitution obligations are critical to achieving justice for violations of our criminal and civil laws.’
Related Federal Cases
- John Doe, $10M TRICARE Fraud Scheme, Washington DC, 2023 · South Carolina
- Emily Doe, Removal and Retention of Classified Material, Honolulu H… · Washington
- Emilee Peterson Buckley, Investment Fraud Scheme, Salt Lake City UT… · Washington
- Honolulu Businessman Convicted of Tax Charges · Mississippi
- Jamaican Citizen Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud Scheme · Delaware
Key Facts
- State: Hawaii
- Category: White Collar Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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