One businessman, two attorneys involved in multimillion-dollar Hawaii bribery scheme: 'Calculated betrayal'

Three men have been sentenced to prison in US for their roles in a multimillion-dollar scheme to bribe a public official in Hawaii in exchange for favourable treatment in affordable housing projects.Former businessman Rajesh Pankaj Budhabhatti, 65, was sentenced to 90 months in prison, while attorney Gary Charles Zamber, 56, received 70 months. Another attorney, Paul Joseph Sulla, 79, was sentenced to 60 months. All three were convicted in June 2025 following a jury trial in the District of Hawaii.The case centred on a conspiracy to bribe Alan Scott Rudo, a housing specialist at the Hawaii County Office of Housing and Community Development. Prosecutors said the men paid bribes and kickbacks to secure approval for development agreements linked to affordable housing projects worth more than $11 million. The trio used their companies to obtain land and affordable housing credits through these agreements. However, despite promises to build homes for local residents, not a single unit was constructed.The scheme involved nearly $2 million in bribes and kickbacks paid or promised to the public official.“This wasn’t just corruption – it was a calculated betrayal of the very community the defendants were supposed to serve,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva.They added: “Instead of building homes for struggling families looking for an onramp to a better life, the defendants built a scheme to enrich themselves, paying millions in bribes and kickbacks while pretending to help those in need. That kind of greed doesn’t just break the law – it erodes trust, damages institutions, robs honest businesses of opportunities and harms American citizens.”FBI officials described the case as a serious breach of public trust. “This sentencing marks another step toward accountability for those who pollute the integrity of our government institutions with bribes and kickbacks,” said Special Agent in Charge David Porter.Rudo pleaded guilty and cooperated with investigators and is yet to be sentenced.