Former businessman Rajesh Pankaj Buddhabhati (65 years old) was sentenced to 90 months in prison, while lawyer Gary Charles Zamber (56 years old) was sentenced to 70 months in prison. The other lawyer, Paul Joseph Sola (79 years old), was sentenced to 60 months in prison. All three were convicted in June 2025 after a jury trial in Hawaii County.The case centered on a plot to bribe Alan Scott Rudo, a housing specialist in the Hawaii County Office of Housing and Community Development.
Prosecutors said the men paid bribes and kickbacks to gain approval for development agreements associated with affordable housing projects worth more than $11 million. The trio used their companies to obtain land and affordable housing loans through these agreements. However, despite promises to build homes for local residents, not a single unit has been built.The scheme involved approximately $2 million in bribes and kickbacks paid or promised to a public official.
Assistant Public Prosecutor A. Thyssen Duva: “This was not just corruption, but a calculated betrayal of the very community the defendants were supposed to serve.”They added: “Instead of building homes for struggling families looking for a path 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. This kind of greed not only violates the law — it erodes trust, harms institutions, deprives honest businesses of opportunity, and harms American citizens.”FBI officials called the case a serious violation of the public trust. “This ruling represents another step toward holding accountable those who taint the integrity of our government institutions with bribes and kickbacks,” Special Agent in Charge David Porter said.Rudo pleaded guilty and cooperated with investigators and has not yet been sentenced.
