Liquor inspector admits to taking bribes

By David Waite
Advertiser Courts Writer

The third of eight Honolulu Liquor Commission inspectors or supervisors indicted in May on federal racketeering charges has pleaded guilty to taking bribes.

William B. Richardson Jr., 48, told federal Magistrate Judge Barry Kurren on Tuesday that he "took money not to do my job."

Richardson pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy and three counts of extortion. He is scheduled to be sentenced Jan. 20 by federal Judge David Ezra and faces up to 20 years on each of the counts.

According to a plea agreement signed by Richardson, he and five other liquor inspectors, as well as two former Liquor Commission inspectors, took money from bars they were supposed to check beginning before October 2000 and continuing through December 2001.

Those indicted were paid between $40 and $1,080 to overlook liquor violations at 45 businesses on O'ahu, many of them hostess bars, according to the indictment.

The plea agreement says Richardson received or shared in payments from or on behalf of Club Junko, Club Ruby, Golden Dolls nightclub and Club Rock-Za.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Seabright told Kurren that Richardson used his position as a liquor inspector to obtain money from the businesses he was supposed to be monitoring and in exchange, would not cite them for liquor violations.

Richardson's lawyer, Donald Wilkerson, said Richardson "understands he was involved in city and county corruption."

Former liquor inspectors Samuel K.Y. Ho and Kenneth L. Wright pleaded guilty to similar charges last month.

Correction: A previous version of this story did not use William B. Richardson Jr.'s complete name. He is not related to former Hawai'i chief justice William S. Richardson or his son William K. Richardson.