HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – A former Honolulu city employee is facing felony charges in an alleged fraud case involving the Hawaii Foodbank.
The Department of the Attorney General said Dexter Kishida was charged with first-degree theft, second-degree forgery and official misconduct. He was arrested Monday by investigators with the department’s Special Investigation and Prosecution Division.
Kishida served as the Food Security and Sustainability Program Manager for the City and County of Honolulu’s Office of Economic Revitalization.
The charges allege that between December 2021 and August 2023, Kishida represented to the Hawaii Foodbank that federal CARES Act funding was available and persuaded the organization to purchase and distribute approximately $800,000 worth of food for Oahu residents.
“Hawaii Foodbank acted in good faith to provide food assistance to Oahu residents during a time…
MANAGEMENT & CULTURE (THE “TONE AT THE TOP”)
Fraud thrives in “sloppy” environments where leadership ignores the rules.
- The Fraud Triangle: For fraud to occur, three elements must be present: Pressure (the need for money), Rationalization (thinking “I deserve this”), and Opportunity (weak controls). You can only control the Opportunity.
- Whistleblower Hotline: Provide an anonymous way for staff to report “odd behavior.” Most internal frauds are caught via tips, not audits.
- Background Checks: Conduct credit and criminal record checks for all employees in financial or data-sensitive roles.
- Annual Ethics Training: Make sure every staff member knows that the company has a Zero Tolerance policy toward “borrowing” from petty cash or fudging overtime.