Hawaii Lt. Gov. Gets Indicted

Hawaii Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke, a Democrat, has been indicted on multiple felony charges following a state investigation into an alleged bribery and campaign finance scheme connected to COVID-19 testing contracts.

The indictment, announced Friday, alleges that Luke accepted campaign donations during the 2022 election cycle while serving in the Hawaii Legislature in exchange for supporting state funding for COVID-19 testing sites.

A Hawaii grand jury returned a 12-count indictment charging Luke with conspiracy to commit bribery, falsifying campaign finance reports, and other related offenses, according to the Hawaii Department of the Attorney General.

Prosecutors Detail Alleged Campaign Contribution Scheme

Prosecutors claim Luke received at least $35,000 in campaign donations from businessman and lobbyist Tobi Solidum, according to the indictment.

Court records allege the campaign donations were connected to Luke’s backing of state funding for Pandemic testing sites managed by the National Kidney Foundation, where Solidum worked as both a lobbyist and consultant.

Court documents further allege that during a January 2022 meeting at Morton’s Steakhouse, Solidum handed Luke two campaign checks totaling $10,000 while the pair discussed funding for the testing program.

Prosecutors contend the meeting was part of a broader scheme involving campaign contributions and government funding. Luke has now been formally charged, but the allegations have not yet been tested in court.

Investigation Grew Out of Federal Corruption Probe

Hawaii Attorney General Anne Lopez said the state investigation began in January after information emerged during a separate federal public corruption investigation.

The case has quickly become one of the most significant political corruption prosecutions in Hawaii in recent years.

Governor Says Lieutenant Governor Should Consider Resigning

The indictment also prompted a public response from Hawaii Gov. Josh Green, a fellow Democrat.

In comments provided to Politico, Green said the attorney general’s announcement represented a significant development in the corruption investigation and stated that Luke should consider resigning so the state can move forward.

His remarks add to the political pressure surrounding the lieutenant governor as the criminal case advances through the legal system.

Five Others Also Charged

Luke was not the only person indicted.

Five additional individuals were charged as part of the investigation, including:

• Former Democratic state Rep. Ryan Yamane
• Businessman and lobbyist Tobi Solidum
• Hawaii Department of Transportation official Ford Fuchigami
• Former Hawaii Public official Leo Asunción
• One additional defendant identified in the grand jury indictment

The investigation remains ongoing, and prosecutors have not ruled out additional legal proceedings.

As with all criminal cases, the indictment contains allegations only. Every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.