US Attorney’s Office releases statement on death of convicted crime boss Michael J. Miske

The United States Attorney’s Office released a statement today regarding the death of defendant Michael J. Miske, the Hawaiʻi crime boss who was convicted by a federal jury of 13 counts of criminal conduct on July 18, 2024. On Dec. 1, 2024, the Federal Bureau of Prisons announced that he was found unresponsive and later pronounced deceased on Dec. 1, 2024.

The Chief Medical Examiner of the City and County of Honolulu conducted an autopsy and is continuing to examine the cause of death. Presently, there is no finding of foul play or suicide, according to the US Attorney’s office.

Miske was convicted after a seven-month trial of counts that included: a racketeering conspiracy, murder in aid of racketeering, kidnapping resulting in death, chemical weapons offenses, and obstruction of justice. The jury also determined in a subsequent criminal forfeiture proceeding that Miske must forfeit assets estimated to exceed $20 million. Miske’s sentencing hearing, originally scheduled for Nov. 26, 2024, was continued to Jan. 30, 2025. He was facing a mandatory minimum term of life in prison.

According to United States Attorney Clare E. Connors: “Michael Miske’s death was unexpected and may terminate some of the ongoing criminal proceedings. The United States spent years investigating Miske’s large-scale criminal enterprise and then years preparing for one of the most grueling trials in this office’s history. Justice was served in the process but aspects of the case remain unfinished. In particular, we are committed to pursuing recovery of the assets found forfeitable by a federal criminal jury and will file pleadings in court as necessary and appropriate.”

Assistant US Attorneys Mark Inciong, Michael Nammar, KeAupuni Akina and Aislinn Affinito prosecuted the underlying criminal case. Akina and Affinito prosecuted the subsequent criminal forfeiture proceeding, with the assistance of Assistant US Attorneys Craig Nolan and Sydney Spector.