DEPARTMENT OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL ARRESTS TWO IN ALLEGED $1.2 MILLION FRAUDULENT CHECK SCHEME
Third Suspect Pending Arrest on $5,000 Warrant
News Release 2026-46 from Department of the Attorney General, July 16, 2026
HONOLULU – As part of its ongoing investigation into an alleged organized check fraud operation, special agents from the Hawaiʻi Department of the Attorney General’s Investigation Division arrested Felix Savoy, also known as Felix Tigilau, 41, for an outstanding $1,000,000 arrest warrant and Baron Yamabe, 75, for an outstanding $100,000 arrest warrant, in connection with an alleged scheme involving approximately $1.2 million in fraudulent checks. They were charged by the department’s Criminal Justice Division with 54 counts of Forgery, Theft and Attempted Theft. A third suspect, identified as Ursula Ramos, 78, is pending arrest on a $5,000 warrant.
According to the charges, the defendants allegedly manufactured and deposited fraudulent checks after unauthorized use of account information from unsuspecting victims totaling approximately $1.2 million between June and August 2024.
These arrests are the latest development in the department’s continuing investigation into an alleged criminal organization engaged in large-scale check fraud. In August 2024, Tigilau, Yamabe and two other individuals were arrested and charged in connection with an earlier alleged scheme involving about $1.5 million in fraudulent checks.
“The scope of the alleged fraud and the repeated conduct uncovered through this investigation are deeply troubling. Our investigators and prosecutors remained committed to following the evidence, and these arrests reflect that persistence. We will continue working to protect Hawaiʻi’s businesses, financial institutions and residents from organized financial crime,” said Attorney General Anne Lopez.
“Our work did not end with the arrests we announced in 2024. Our investigators continued to follow the evidence and new leads, working closely with the department’s Criminal Justice Division to disrupt organized financial crime in Hawaiʻi,” said Investigations Division Chief Tom Alipio. “This case is also a reminder to safeguard your personal and financial information and remain vigilant against fraud. I commend our special agents with the Investigations Division and Deputy Attorney General Adrian Dhakhwa for their professionalism, dedication and countless hours of hard work on this case.”
Investigators believe there may be other businesses or individuals that have been defrauded by these individuals. Anyone who believes they were victimized by Tigilau aka Felix Savoy, is encouraged to contact the Department of the Attorney General’s Investigations Division at 808-586-1240.
Theft and Attempted Theft in the First Degree are Class B felonies punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a fine not exceeding $25,000. Theft, Attempted Theft and Forgery in the Second Degree are Class C felonies punishable by up to 5 years in prison and a fine not exceeding $10,000. If convicted, Tigilau would face mandatory prison time and could be eligible for extended term sentencing. The department will seek restitution on behalf of the victims, in an amount determined by the court.
The Arraignment and Plea will be scheduled before the First Circuit Court. The case is State v. Felix Tigilau, et.al., 1CPC-26-0000873. The prosecution is being handled by Criminal Justice Division Deputy Attorney General Adrian Dhakhwa.
In addition, Tigilau is currently pending trial in State v. Felix Tigilau, et.al., 1CPC-24-0000954, on three counts of Theft in the First Degree, one count of Theft in the Second Degree, and two counts of Forgery in the Second Degree. That case is also being prosecuted by Dhakhwa.
All individuals are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
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DEPARTMENT OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL ARRESTS AND CHARGES THREE FOR ALLEGED FORGERY OF OVER $1 MILLION IN FRAUDULENT CHECKS
News Release 2024-36 from Department of the Attorney General, Aug. 30, 2024
HONOLULU – Special agents from the Department of the Attorney General’s Investigations Division arrested Felix Savoy aka Felix Tigilau (39) on August 27, 2024, on a $500,000 arrest warrant. He was charged by the Department’s Criminal Justice Division with seven offenses including three counts of Attempted Theft in the First Degree, two counts of Forgery in the Second Degree and one count each of Theft in the Second Degree and Attempted Theft in the Second Degree.
Tigilau was identified as the alleged leader of a criminal organization that was responsible for manufacturing and depositing fraudulent checks and the unauthorized use of account information totaling about $1.5 million dollars. The alleged offenses occurred over several months in 2023.
Two other people who are alleged to be part of the criminal organization were also arrested and charged. Baron Yamabe (75) was arrested on August 29, 2024, and charged with two counts of Attempted Theft in the First Degree, two counts of Forgery in the Second Degree, and one count of Attempted Theft in the Second Degree. January Fanene (38) was arrested on August 30, 2024, and charged with two counts of Attempted Theft in the First Degree, two counts of Forgery in the Second Degree, and one count of Theft in the Second Degree. A fourth alleged member, Jon-Joseph C. Rutherford (37) is charged with one count of Attempted Theft in the First Degree and one count of Forgery in the Second Degree. Rutherford is believed to have left Hawaii.
“These three arrests were the result of a year-long investigation into Tigilau’s alleged criminal organization. I appreciate the partnerships we established with the financial institutions and I’m proud of the efforts put in by our agents to investigate and charge these individuals,” said the Department’s Investigations Division Chief Tom Alipio.
Theft and Attempted Theft in the First Degree are Class B felonies punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a fine not exceeding $25,000. Theft, Attempted Theft and Forgery in the Second Degree are Class C felonies punishable by up to 5 years in prison and a fine not exceeding $10,000. If convicted, Tigilau would face mandatory prison time and could be eligible for extended term sentencing.
Investigators believe there may be other businesses or individuals that have been defrauded by these individuals. Anyone who believes they were victimized by Tigilau aka Felix Savoy, is encouraged to contact the Department of the Attorney General’s Investigations Division at 808-586-1240.
The Arraignment and Plea is scheduled before First Circuit Court Judge Ronald G. Johnson for Tuesday, September 3, 2024, at 8:30 a.m. The case is State v. Felix Tigilau, et.al., 1CPC-240000954. The prosecution is being handled by Deputy Attorney General Adrian Dhakhwa.
All four individuals are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
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18-time Convicted Felon Writes SB3344 to Make prison More Fun -- Hawaii lawmakers fly to Arizona to Meet Him
SA: … A delegation of state lawmakers will meet today with inmates and staff at the Saguaro Correctional Center in Arizona to explore conditions and talk to Hawaii inmates about allegations of mistreatment at the for-profit prison.
Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, two Hawaii inmates have died at Saguaro from the virus, and 696 have tested positive, according to the state Department of Public Safety. As of Thursday no Hawaii inmates at the CoreCivic- operated correctional center were infected with the virus.
However, an inmate from Kalihi, who has two years left on a five-year sentence for second-degree theft, claims infection statistics do not paint an accurate picture.
(IQ Test: Do you believe an inmate in Hawaii’s State system could possibly be doing time for just ONE crime?)
In a phone interview with the Honolulu Star- Advertiser, inmate Felix Savoy said Hawaii detainees are subject to abuse, blocked from filing grievances and do not have consistent access to COVID-19 testing and vaccines….
(CLUE: His real name is Felix Olli Tigilau, not Felix Savoy.)
Savoy claims the for-profit structure of CoreCivic (formerly the Corrections Corp. of America) is conducive to prolonged stays in solitary confinement for some prisoners and has little incentive to maintain rehabilitation and education programs to help inmates reenter the community.
“If we do eight weeks of programming, they pay us one (Burger King) Whopper. Finance, parenting, reading, whatever program they give us, it’s pretty much bribing us. Giving us one Whopper from Burger King is dehumanizing,” said Savoy. “We are asking for a normal inmate life. Does that make any sense? Treat us like human beings.”
Savoy helped put together Senate Bill 3344, which restricts the use of solitary confinement in state-operated and state- contracted correctional facilities, according to his attorney, Myles Breiner, who helped proofread the proposal currently before the state Senate Committee on the Judiciary….
(CLUE: Felix ‘Savoy’ Tigilau is an 18-time convicted felon at age 36. That’s an adult average of one conviction per year. He expects to be committing more crimes and will by sent back soon after his next release.)
State Sen. Clarence Nishihara, chairman of the Senate Committee on Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs, and committee Vice Chairwoman Lynn DeCoite will join their counterparts on the House Committee on Corrections, Military and Veterans, Chairman Takashi Ohno and Vice Chairman Sonny Ganaden, in Arizona today….
(Maybe they will ‘take a knee’ and apologize for incarcerating these poor fellows.)
Ganaden, an attorney and longtime opponent of private prisons, (Translation: UPW flunky) told the Star-Advertiser in an interview from Arizona that lawmakers are looking at everything from parole reform to culturally appropriate programs and services. He called shipping inmates across the ocean an expression of U.S. colonialism and a “tremendous failure of our state.”…
(CLUE: Private vs Public Prisons is a false dichotomy. Hawaii already has privately run prisons controlled by UPW, Inc which has far more corrupt influence over the Lege than CCA ever will. CCA’s prisons are better managed, safer, cleaner, more disciplined, and cheaper. That’s why UPW, Inc wants its Lege to shut down the competition that is can’t beat in the open market.)
SB3344: Text, Status
PDF: Felix Savoy Tigilau Criminal Transcript
2014: Felix Tigilau Bank Fraud, Impersonation of Federal Officer
read … Hawaii lawmakers to meet with Hawaii inmates in Arizona
BACKGROUND
HNN: 4 charged for alleged forgery of over $1M in fraudulent checks
KHON: Three arrested in $1.5 million forgery scheme
SA: 4 charged in alleged $1.5M fraud scheme