2025-28 O‘AHU GRAND JURY INDICTS FORMER NONPROFIT EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR EMBEZZLING FUNDS

STATE OF HAWAIʻI

KA MOKU ʻĀINA O HAWAIʻI

 

DEPARTMENT OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL

KA ʻOIHANA O KA LOIO KUHINA

 

JOSH GREEN, M.D.
GOVERNOR

KE KIAʻĀINA

 

ANNE LOPEZ

ATTORNEY GENERAL

LOIO KUHINA

 

O‘AHU GRAND JURY INDICTS FORMER NONPROFIT EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR EMBEZZLING FUNDS

News Release 2025-28

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                       

February 17, 2025 

HONOLULU – On February 14, 2025, Moanaoio Bjur, 49, was indicted by the O‘ahu Grand Jury and charged with Computer Fraud in the First Degree, Theft in the First Degree, Computer Fraud in the Second Degree, and Theft in the Second Degree. Bjur was arrested over the weekend and booked on the charges.  

Bjur is the former executive director of the nonprofit Conservation Council for Hawai‘i. While employed with the Conservation Council for Hawai‘i, Bjur allegedly issued herself approximately 24 unauthorized payroll payments via QuickBooks and made three unauthorized withdrawals from a PayPal account totaling just over $81,000.

Attorney General Anne Lopez stated, “Nonprofit organizations serve important charitable roles within Hawai‘i, and in exchange, they receive special tax exemptions. My department is dedicated to investigating and prosecuting those who exploit their positions within nonprofit organizations to steal funds intended for the public good within our communities.”

Computer Fraud in the First Degree is a class A felony offense punishable by up to 20 years in prison and a $50,000 fine. Theft in the First Degree and Computer Fraud in the Second Degree are class B felony offenses punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a $20,000 fine. Theft in the Second Degree is a class C felony offense punishable by up to five years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

The investigation was conducted by the Department of the Attorney General’s Special Investigation and Prosecution Division (SIPD).  SIPD is the state of Hawai‘i’s primary law enforcement unit responsible for investigating and prosecuting corruption, fraud, and economic crimes. 

The case, State v. Moanaoio Bjur, 1CPC-25-0000178, is being prosecuted by SIPD Deputy Attorney General Thomas Michener. A copy of the indictment can be found here.

Bjur is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

 

# # #

Media contacts:

Dave Day

Special Assistant to the Attorney General

Office: 808-586-1284                                                  

Email: [email protected]        

Web: http://ag.hawaii.gov

Toni Schwartz
Public Information Officer
Hawai‘i Department of the Attorney General
Office: 808-586-1252
Cell: 808-379-9249
Email: [email protected] 

Web: http://ag.hawaii.gov