Hee sentencing postponed due to concern over prison care
STAR-ADVERTISER /July 10
Defendant Albert Hee exited the federal courtroom on July 10. His sentencing for tax fraud was rescheduled to Jan. 6.
Federal Judge Susan Oki Mollway delayed sentencing Honolulu telecommunications executive Albert Hee for a second time on Tuesday citing ongoing concerns about whether he will be able to get appropriate medical care for his food and environmental allergies in prison.
Hee’s attorney Michael Purpura testified that Hee suffers from severe allergies and that “any period of incarceration is life threatening.” Hee also suffered a heart attack in 2011, according to his defense, making his medical condition more fragile.
Prosecutors have recommended that Hee be sentenced to between 41 and 51 months in prison for tax fraud. They say he siphoned about $4 million from his company Waimana Enterprises to cover “false” salaries to family members, college tuition for his children, family vacations, massages and dozens of other personal expenses.
Hee directed accountants and company employees to classify many of the personal expenses as business deductions or part of a shareholder loan that was never intended to be repaid, according to prosecutors.
Hee was convicted in July on six counts of filing false income tax returns and one count of corruptly impeding the Internal Revenue Service from correctly calculating and collecting his taxes.
The court set a new sentencing date for Jan. 6.
Don't miss out on what's happening!
Stay in touch with top news, as it happens, conveniently in your email inbox. It's FREE!
65 responses to “Hee sentencing postponed due to concern over prison care”
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
This guy will get a “get out of jail card” sooner than later?
When is he going to pay back the public he stole from?
This is utter nonsense. Prisons all over the country have need ordered by state and federal courts to accommodate the religious beliefs, cultural practices and medical needs of convicts, whatever they maybe. Hee needs to be sentenced based on the seriousness of his crime and the judge should then direct prison officials to provide the medically necessary care, real or imagined, Hee may suffer. His food and environmental allergies should not be reasons to avoid time in prison.
Make that “Prisons all over the country have been ordered…….”
Yep. The news is getting more and more wacky. Just like reading the Mad Magazine. Only thing this is how it is now a days, folks.
This dude thinks he deserves special treatment after what he did to native Hawaiians. What a guy!
Pleae, who the heck would not be allergic to being in prison. Sentence this pile of s— all ready.
He is getting off very light for what he was caught doing. There probably should be others joining him but I guess they
are getting off, unless Hee turns informer.
I’m allergic to paying for the rail tax. What do we have we here?
Where are the violins? We need violins. I think I’m going to cry.
Cry me a river?
Geeesh! Yet more excuses and delays. Must be paying his lawyers well too.
Never make fun of a lawyer. He maybe elected, and in charge of Hawaii some day.
…all the (in)justice money can buy.
In action or inaction?
LOCK HIM UP!
Throw the key away!
What a line!
SA couldn’t make this kind of news up, ever.
This kind of “positioning” by Hee should be a reason to INCREASE his sentence. He shows no remorse whatsoever and continues to think only of himself. I’ve never read anything that shows he feels bad for what he did, that he wants to repay those he took from (taxpayers), or that he wants in any way to better himself or make amends by otherwise contributing to society (financially or in any other way). He has connived his way to his (now lost) fortune and he now connives to make life easier for himself. Judge Mollway, you ARE smart enough to see through all of this, right?
Totally agree. But remember, he knows a great deal about how the monopoly party out here has ripped off the public for decades. He may know some about organized crime and its connections out here. He certainly knows how Inouye worked things in the Hawaii plantation for decades. He may squeal to extort better treatment.
He may squeal to avoid prison.
“appropriate medical care for his food”? that makes no sense. and I’m sick of seeing that same irritating photograph. come on editors. do some work.
My dogs eat a non gluten diet.
So your dogs have celiac disease? Very unusual.
Less malodorous effects of methane…
Check out today’s Midweek. It has a air freshener behind each rain deer’s you know what. LOL
I guess we need to make “accommodations” for Hee’s disability – “stealing.” Just like football coach Steve Sarkisian’s lawsuit against USC for lack of accommodations concerning his disability – alcoholism.
This is referred as ‘Delay Tactics’ in sending Hee to prison.
Also it’s Hee’s attorney Michael Purpura testifying that Hee suffers from severe allergies, not his Doctor.
Whole Foods Market(WFM) is the only answer to a healthy diet.
He can come and stay at my place. I only eat natto and Kim Chee.
The ACLU will demand that the tax payers pay for his prime rib steak everyday?
Why are you that way?
All depends if he is on Santa’s nice list?
Hee has the last laugh this Christmas with a Ho, Ho, Ho.
Surely they won’t give him access to those in prison?!
Hee,Hee Hee.
Plain and simple, “the fix is in”! Delays are the stepping stones. Maloff was sentence for bilking the the rich and sentence to over a 100 years, Hee was convicted of stealing from the taxpayers! His crime is worst, gimme a break.
good point..the whole idea is to spin the shibai as long as he can. It has worked for the rich including Pflueger who killed 7 people on Kauai.
“sentenced” is the past tense of “to sentence.” Wat, you wen Punahou?
Get used to bad grammar. That’s how the next generation of Millenialls write.
I presume you mean “Millennials”? Ho, ho ho.
Please…..give me a break!
Total defense attorney BS.
OMG … may he is allergic to prison?
what a bunch of crock!
This is a whole new ball of wax. Hee would give you the shirt of your back. Maybe he’s just throwing smoke.
so what…
Why are they babying this jerk? Drag him naked and screaming by his feet into a dark cell, slam the door, and throw away the key. Every miserable breath he takes is an insult to the people he so arrogantly stole from
Depends what end a politician breaths from?
Prison is not a vacation, place of haven or some type of luxury retreat. I’m sure the medical care and dietary standards are sufficient for all incarcerated. Sentence him appropriately and provide the same care afforded other INMATES! He would not have been convicted if he didn’t commit crimes. Stop with the excuses and MAN-UP! Show your children you can ACCEPT the consequences of your misbegotten actions and will ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY! Make things PONO now. MAN-UP!
So if he gets off because of his food and environmental allergies, then every other criminal with the same can also get off. Hmmmm, encourages me to go do something illegal. I’m allergic to mold.
$40,000,000 divided by 51 months… is $784,313.725 per month. Not too shabby.
…suck it up dude! You did the crime NOW do the time!!!!
Send him to an Arizona/Texas prison like the others!
B. S.
$78k per month for up to about 4 years?
Where can one sign up?
Crime does pay
Be a “real” man and do at least 20 yrs for ripping off taxpayers and especially the Hawaiians. Those millions could’ve subsidize tuition for many Hawaiian children to attend Kamehameha School or other private schools. I’m sure the feds can accommodate the strict diet you need.
Don’t let this guy go and don’t allow him to stay at home.
Hee should be in prison while his sentence is figured out. It is unfair that he can raise phony issues that delay going to prison. He can probably better control his allergies in a controlled environment like prison than on the outside, where he has demonstrated he has no regard for consequences.
Poor guy! Already sentenced and hung by the Posters herein!
There is no justice. Am disappointed in the judge. The only hope is that the thousands of prisoners (non violent crime offenders) who are sick with cancer, dying in jail.. will use this example for their own get out of jail card because they certainly did not get a break.. Clog up the courts, I say…uh the 84 year old granny sentenced to a year for protesting nuclear weapons?? This creep – and he is a true creep – hardly touched the surface with the 4 million he stole. And the letters saying his kids need him? They are adults and shame on them also for accepting dark money from dad. Am disgusted with this. And i have lost respect for the judge. Well hek i have illnesses, i am going to rob a bank and see if i can get the same treatment.
Finally, yeah the judge, she is the real problem, she is letting him do it.
He’e is nothing more than a common criminal. The very notion of giving him special treatment that other prisoners lack access to is about as unAmerican as it gets.
If he can’t do the time, he shouldn’t have done the crime.
What a complete & total load of crap. Throw that criminal bastard in the joint & throw away the key!! Do the crime, do the time!!