Two Hilo lawyers indicted in county housing corruption case

Two Hilo lawyers have been indicted in a corruption case involving a former housing specialist for the Hawaii County Office of Housing and Community Development.

A federal grand jury returned an eight-count indictment Friday against 76-year-old Paul Joseph Sulla, Jr. and 53-year-old Gary Charles Zamber residing on the island of Hawaii (“Big Island”), on July 21, 2022.

Both are charged with six counts of honest services wire fraud and one count of conspiracy. Sulla is also charged with one count of money laundering.

In addition, 55-year-old Alan Scott Rudo, the former county housing specialist and 62-year-old Rajesh P. Budhabhatti, a Big Island businessman, were previously charged in separate complaints with conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud.

According to court documents and information presented in court, Rudo solicited and accepted multiple bribes and kickbacks from Sulla, Zamber and Budhabhatti in exchange for performing, and agreeing to perform, official acts while working for the Hawaii County Office of Housing and Community Development.

Rudo pleaded guilty to the charge July 18 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Rom A. Trader.

See Tuesday’s Tribune-Herald for a full story.