Anonymous Memo Sent to Nā Leo Alleges Wrongdoing

Nā Leo o Hawaiʻi is currently investigating allegations of wrongdoing after receiving an anonymous memo on Nov. 1.

The memo was also sent to local media. This comes after former Nā Leo CEO Stacy Higa pleaded guilty to embezzlement in federal court on Oct. 13.

“There is no way to confirm whether this memo was authored by a Nā Leo employee or someone else, since all of the allegations contained therein are already in the public domain and have been previously widely reported in the media, and appears to be an effort to malign former Nā Leo President/CEO Stacy Higa and those employees who were perceived to be close to him,” according to a statement from Nā Leo.

To ensure the safety of its employees, Nā Leo stated the allegations are being further investigated “with the primary focus of ensuring a safe workplace for our employees.”

With respect to the allegations of wrongdoing against the current Nā Leo employee, the Nā Leo o Hawaiʻi Board of Directors commissioned a comprehensive third-party investigation upon learning of Higaʻs involvement with Hanalei Aipoalani.

“This investigation also involved a targeted financial audit component,” the statement reads. “The findings of the investigation were presented to the Board and it allayed any concern of ʻpersonal profitʻ by any Nā Leo employee beyond what was already reported in the media concerning Higa.”