A former Maui woman who is on probation for stealing nearly $29,000 from her then-employer is going to federal prison for 31⁄2 years for stealing more than $163,000 at her new job.
Amy P. Waikiki, 35, pleaded guilty in state court last summer to embezzling $163,734 from Kulia Ohana Federal Credit Union in Wailuku from October 2008 to June 2009.
U.S. District Judge David A. Ezra sentenced Waikiki on Monday to 44 months in prison. He also ordered her to pay back the money she stole, plus the nearly $30,000 the credit union spent on its investigation.
Ezra said he found it unbelievable that in order to commit the embezzlement, Waikiki moved money from 34 accounts in 224 unauthorized transactions at her new job at the credit union, after getting arrested and fired for stealing $28,972 from Majestic Insurance Agency in her state case.
"What in the world is going on in her head?" Ezra said Monday. "For those who go to Las Vegas, she doubled down."
Waikiki told Ezra she previously didn’t take responsibility for her actions, but that she does now.
Ezra said he found Waikiki to have no credibility, and her statement to be insincere and motivated by wanting to get a break in sentencing.
He pointed out that while free on $50,000 signature bond in the federal case and on probation in the state case, Waikiki created an elaborate deception involving her father and husband to conceal from federal and state courts that she was no longer living and working on Maui, but instead living in California.
Ezra said Waikiki presented phony employment verification letters and pay statements.
U.S. marshals took her into custody in September after the court discovered her deception.
Federal prosecutor Marshall Silverberg said Waikiki continued to steal from Majestic until the date she was fired and lied about having breast cancer, which prompted friends to hold fundraisers for her.
Waikiki pleaded no contest in April 2009 to 11 counts of second-degree theft in the Majestic case.
Circuit Judge Joseph Cardoza sentenced Waikiki in June 2009 to five years of probation including six months in jail, which she could serve on weekends. He also ordered Waikiki to perform 200 hours of community service and to pay back the money she stole from Majestic.
