Witnesses appeared before a Honolulu grand jury Friday as Hawaiʻi’s attorney general moved toward a charging decision in a political bribery investigation centered on a $35,000 payment to an unnamed “influential” lawmaker.
The case traces to a Jan. 20, 2022 meeting secretly recorded by former lawmaker Ty Cullen, in which another man allegedly handed over $35,000 in a paper bag for “an existing campaign.”
Sylvia Luke, now on unpaid leave and no longer seeking reelection, became entangled after disclosing she accepted two $5,000 checks at a 2022 dinner with Cullen, businessman Tobi Solidum and Kristen Pae; Luke and Solidum later received target letters.
Friday’s witness list included Cullen, Pae, former campaign-spending staffer Tony Baldomero and a former Health Department official, reflecting scrutiny of Covid-testing contracts worth millions that were arranged by Solidum through the National Kidney Foundation of Hawaiʻi.
Indictments could come quickly, but former prosecutors said proving bribery will require showing money changed official action, making the case difficult despite years of fallout from earlier convictions of Cullen and J. Kalani English.
With the alleged mastermind reportedly fleeing overseas, will prosecutors still secure convictions against Hawaii's highest-ranking officials?
Could the FBI's use of a wired informant unravel an entire network of state emergency health contracts?
Indictment of Hawaii Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke: $70 Million Covid Contract Scandal, Campaign Finance Violations, and the Fight for Reform
Overview
In July 2026, Hawaii’s Lieutenant Governor Sylvia Luke and four others were indicted after a months-long corruption probe, sparked by earlier scandals involving Ty Cullen and J. Kalani English. The investigation, led by the Attorney General’s office, uncovered a network of bribery and campaign finance violations linked to pandemic-era no-bid contracts and unreported donations. Key evidence included FBI recordings and findings from the Campaign Spending Commission. As the scandal unfolded, top officials resigned or fled, new ethics laws were enacted, and public trust was shaken, highlighting deep vulnerabilities in Hawaii’s political and financial oversight systems.