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

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

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
Department of the Attorney General
News Release 2026-19
Page 2
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.