Statement Regarding the Death of Defendant Michael J. Miske
On December 1, 2024, the Federal Bureau of Prisons announced that Defendant Michael J. Miske had been found unresponsive and was later pronounced deceased. The United States Marshals Service and the Federal Bureau of Investigation responded, and the Chief Medical Examiner of the City and County of Honolulu conducted an autopsy and is continuing to examine the cause of death, which examination remains ongoing. Presently, there is no finding of foul play or suicide.
On July 18, 2024, a federal jury convicted Miske after a seven-month trial of 13 counts of criminal conduct, including a racketeering conspiracy, murder in aid of racketeering, kidnapping resulting in death, chemical weapons offenses, and obstruction of justice. The jury also determined in a subsequent criminal forfeiture proceeding that Miske must forfeit assets estimated to exceed $20 million. Miske’s sentencing hearing, originally scheduled for November 26, 2024, was continued to January 30, 2025. Miske was facing a mandatory minimum term of life in prison.
According to United States Attorney Clare E. Connors: “Michael Miske’s death was unexpected and may terminate some of the ongoing criminal proceedings. The United States spent years investigating Miske’s large-scale criminal enterprise and then years preparing for one of the most grueling trials in this office’s history. Justice was served in the process but aspects of the case remain unfinished. In particular, we are committed to pursuing recovery of the assets found forfeitable by a federal criminal jury and will file pleadings in court as necessary and appropriate.”
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mark Inciong, Michael Nammar, KeAupuni Akina and Aislinn Affinito prosecuted the underlying criminal case. Akina and Affinito prosecuted the subsequent criminal forfeiture proceeding, with the assistance of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Craig Nolan and Sydney Spector.
