{"id":309,"date":"2022-10-24T21:42:48","date_gmt":"2022-10-24T21:42:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.autobuyersmarket.com\/news\/?p=309"},"modified":"2025-05-05T10:24:30","modified_gmt":"2025-05-05T10:24:30","slug":"hawaii-based-used-car-dealer-was-secretly-running-criminal-empire","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.autobuyersmarket.com\/news\/2022\/10\/24\/hawaii-based-used-car-dealer-was-secretly-running-criminal-empire\/","title":{"rendered":"FEDS: Hawaii Used Car Dealer Was Really \u201cKingpin\u201d Secretly Running Criminal Empire"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"HONOLULU,
Prosecutors say the dealer would purchase hundreds of vehicles at incredibly low prices by intimidating and threatening other bidders vying for the vehicles into dropping out of countless wholesale auctions. File photo: Christian Mueller, Shutter Stock, licensed.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

HONOLULU, HI – Michael J. Miske Jr., the former owner of the Honolulu-based used car dealer Hawaii Partners LLC, has been charged \u2013 along with several other individuals \u2013 with being a part of Kamaaina Termite and Pest Control Inc., a termite treatment firm and alleged front for criminal activities<\/a>, including numerous violence and fraud.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Among the misdeeds that Miske was purportedly a part of was using his position to purchase hundreds of automobiles at incredibly low prices to sell on his used car lot by intimidating and threatening other bidders vying for the vehicles into dropping out of countless wholesale auctions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He bought a lot of junk cars, cheap. Nobody can bid when he\u2019s bidding. We all know him. We\u2019re scared,\u201d<\/em> one rival dealer was quoted as saying, who asked not to be identified due to fears for his safety. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOne time we were both bidding on the same vehicle. He won, then he came and threatened me. His eyes were all red, like he wanted to kill me right there.\u201d<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

However, these alleged actions only represent the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the claims against him and his conspirators, officials say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Prosecutors have referred to the criminal organization that the used car dealer was the head of as the \u201cMiske Enterprise,\u201d <\/em>which he utilized to carry out money laundering, employing violent criminals, and engaging in numerous acts of fraud from the late 1990s until the point he was arrested and charged in July 2020.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Alleged kingpin Michael Miske owned a business that bought used cars at auction, providing income, a way to launder drug money and rewards for criminal associates, prosecutors say. https:\/\/t.co\/TYTQjgAAtB<\/a> @ilind<\/a> #HInews<\/a><\/p>— Honolulu Civil Beat (@CivilBeat) October 12, 2022<\/a><\/blockquote>