Hilo Man Charged With Identity Theft

A Hilo man is being held on $141,000 bail after being charged with a myriad of offenses involving credit card and identity theft.

Charges stem from incidents that occurred over the past month when 29-year-old Cole Evans-Tanigawa, also known as Malu Evans-Tanigawa, used a victim’s credit card without permission as well as gained access to personal information, including driver’s license and banking information, charging documents indicate.

The victim of theft appears to be the same person.

On Thursday, the Hawai‘i County Office of the Prosecuting Attorney announced they had filed the following charges against Evans-Tanigawa: three counts of Fraudulent Use of Credit Card, two counts of third-degree identity theft, unauthorized possession of personal or confidential personal information, first-degree identity theft, first-degree theft, third-degree attempted theft, habitual property crime, first-degree resisting an order to stop motor vehicle, and first-degree unauthorized control of a propelled vehicle.

At the time of his arrest, Evans-Tanigawa was also wanted on two outstanding bench warrants. The 29-year-old faces enhanced punishment as he is a habitual property crime offender, court documents indicate.

Evans-Tanigawa was scheduled to appear in Hilo District Court for a preliminary hearing on Thursday, April 29, however, the 29-year-old was not feeling well was and wasn’t present. The hearing was rescheduled for May 6.