Stockbroker stole $2 million from in-laws
A former Honolulu stockbroker pleaded guilty to defrauding his in-laws out of more than $2.1 million, the U.S. Attorney’s Hawaii district office said.
Ryan Kimura, 42, of Honolulu, pleaded guilty Monday to wire fraud, bank fraud, filing a false federal tax return and money laundering.
While working as a stockbroker at Morgan Stanley Dean Witter in Honolulu, he induced members of his wife’s family to deposit more than $2.1 million, prosecutors said.
They unknowingly applied for and received Morgan Stanley Dean Witter checks, which Kimura used without their knowledge.
Deposits were received from his mother-in-law, father-in-law, grandmother-in-law and sister-in-law. There were also deposits from a company in Japan owned by his father-in-law.
Prosecutors said Kimura made stock trades with the Japanese company’s funds, resulting in about $360,000 in losses. He received a commission for each trade and made up reports of interest allegedly earned.
By forging signatures on 206 checks and using the Japanese company’s funds, he embezzled $1.5 million, prosecutors said.
Under the plea deal, he is to owe $1.5 million in restitution to Morgan Stanley Dean Witter.
He also pleaded guilty to filing a false 2005 joint federal income tax return.
He faces a maximum of 30 years in prison for bank fraud, 20 years for wire fraud, 10 years for money laundering and three years for filing a false income tax return.
Sentencing is scheduled for August 8.