No-Bail Arrest Warrant Issued for Hawaiʻi Lobbyist Reportedly in the Philippines

Hawaiʻi businessman and lobbyist Tobi Solidum is reportedly in the Philippines as he faces an outstanding no-bail arrest warrant in connection with a sweeping public corruption case involving Lieutenant Governor Sylvia Luke and several former state officials.

Solidum was indicted by an Oʻahu grand jury on one count of conspiracy to commit bribery and three counts of bribery of a public servant. A no-bail warrant was issued after he failed to surrender to authorities following the indictment.

Sources cited by Hawaiʻi News Now said Solidum left the United States for the Philippines. A separate report said Solidum would be held without bail if apprehended. His precise location in the Philippines has not been publicly disclosed.

The indictment also states that Solidum has been continuously absent from Hawaiʻi since at least the end of 2024 and has had no reasonably ascertainable residence or workplace in the state.

Solidum is the only one among the five defendants who has not appeared before authorities. Luke, former state Representative Ryan Yamane, Department of Transportation Airports Administrator Ford Fuchigami and former Public Utilities Commission Chair Leodoloff “Leo” Asuncion Jr. surrendered and posted bail following their indictments.

ALLEGED COVID-19 TESTING BRIBERY SCHEME

Prosecutors accuse Solidum of providing or promising money and campaign contributions to public officials in an effort to influence decisions involving government funding for Hawaiʻi’s COVID-19 community testing program.

According to the indictment, Solidum had lucrative financial interests connected to a Department of Health contract with the National Kidney Foundation of Hawaiʻi, which operated COVID-19 testing sites across the state.

At a private dinner at Morton’s The Steakhouse in Honolulu on January 20, 2022, Solidum and his stepdaughter, Kristen Pae, allegedly provided two $5,000 campaign checks to Luke, who was then chair of the Hawaiʻi House Finance Committee and running for lieutenant governor.

Solidum allegedly told Luke that they would provide a total of $70,000 to support her campaign. During the same meeting, they discussed millions of dollars in additional state funding needed to maintain the COVID-19 testing infrastructure.

The indictment alleges that Luke later participated in government meetings and legislative actions involving an emergency appropriation for the Department of Health’s COVID-19 response. Luke is charged with conspiracy, bribery and falsifying candidate committee reports.

PAYMENTS TO OTHER STATE OFFICIALS

Solidum is also accused of repeatedly giving money to Yamane between February 2020 and April 2022.

The indictment describes text messages in which Solidum allegedly told Yamane that he needed to “drop something off.” Prosecutors claim the two later met on several occasions and that Yamane received money while serving as a state representative and taking legislative actions involving bills important to Solidum.

Solidum also allegedly gave Fuchigami a $7,000 check in January 2022, when Fuchigami worked for the Hawaiʻi Senate Committee on Ways and Means. Days later, Fuchigami allegedly attended a meeting with Solidum and Yamane concerning an emergency appropriation for COVID-19 programs.

CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS ALLEGEDLY OMITTED

The indictment further alleges that Luke and Asuncion failed to disclose the two $5,000 contributions from Solidum and Pae in a report submitted to the Hawaiʻi Campaign Spending Commission.

Asuncion is accused of later making false statements about notations indicating that the checks had supposedly been returned. He and Fuchigami also face charges of making false statements and obstructing the state investigation.

The case grew out of a broader investigation involving former Hawaiʻi lawmakers Ty Cullen and Kalani English, who were previously prosecuted in federal bribery cases. Cullen reportedly cooperated with investigators and secretly recorded the January 2022 dinner involving Luke and Solidum.

Authorities have not publicly announced whether formal proceedings are underway to return Solidum from the Philippines to Hawaiʻi.

The charges contained in the indictment are allegations. Solidum and the other defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.