Stewart Olani Stant, Bribery & Honest Services Fraud, Hawaii 2023

HONOLULU, Hawaii – A shocking bribery scheme has been uncovered in Hawaii, involving a former Maui Public Official and a Honolulu Businessman. Stewart Olani Stant, a 55-year-old former Director of Maui County’s Department of Environmental Management, and Milton Choy, a 60-year-old Honolulu businessman, have been charged with federal bribery and honest services fraud offenses.

According to court documents, Choy bribed Stant with cash, bank deposits, and gambling trips to Las Vegas in exchange for lucrative sole source contracts from Maui County’s Department of Environmental Management. The investigation alleges that Stant accepted bribes totaling up to $2,000,000 between October 2012 and December 2018, in exchange for funneling contracts to Choy’s company, H2O Processes, LLC.

A second Information charges Choy with corruptly bribing Stant over the same six-year period, violating federal law because the value of the contracts exceeded $5,000 and Maui County received more than $10,000 in federal funding during each of the calendar years of the continuing bribery scheme.

Stant faces a sentence of up to 20 years imprisonment and a fine of up to $250,000 if convicted. Choy faces a sentence of up to 10 years imprisonment and a fine of up to $250,000 if convicted.

The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ken Sorenson, Micah Smith, and Michael Albanese prosecuting the case.

A court appearance for both defendants is scheduled for Monday, September 19th.

This case highlights the importance of transparency and accountability in public office and the serious consequences of bribery and corruption.

**MANDATORY FACTS**

**Defendant:** Stewart Olani Stant, Milton Choy

**Criminal Charges:** Bribery, Honest Services Fraud

**City & State:** Honolulu, Hawaii

**Date:** Ongoing investigation, court appearance scheduled for September 19th, 2023

**Sentence:** Up to 20 years imprisonment for Stant, up to 10 years imprisonment for Choy, fines up to $250,000 for both

**Dollar Amounts:** Up to $2,000,000 in bribes accepted by Stant, over $19 million dollars in sole source contracts and purchase orders awarded to Choy’s company