Former Honolulu Stock Broker Sentenced for Fraud

By Wendy Osher

A former Honolulu stock broker was sentenced to four years and nine months in prison yesterday for fraud and tax offenses.

Ryan Kimura, 42, was accused of embezzling $1.5 million from his victims through forging signatures on more than 200 checks, and using funds without authorization.

Kimura was ordered to pay restitution to both the IRS and his former employer, Morgan Stanley Dean Witter.

Chief U.S. District Judge Susan Oki Mollway also ordered the restitution for combined tax losses of $505,429 for the calendar years 2000 through 2007, plus interest.

The counts against Kimura included wire fraud, bank fraud, filing a false federal tax return and money laundering.

Victims induced members of Kimura’s former wife’s family, according to Florence T. Nakakuni, United States Attorney for the District of Hawaii, who referenced information revealed in court.

The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service, and was prosecute by Assistant U.S. Attorney Leslie E. Osborne, Jr.