A former International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers business manager and local sports news anchor recently found himself in public hot water. Russell Yamanoha did manage to wiggle out from underneath a possible prison sentence by cooperating with prosecutors. He ultimately walked away with two years of probation and a $5,000 fine for his part in a scheme to rig union votes to plump up membership dues.
In turn, Yamanoha padded the pockets of the IBEW local’s ex-business manager and financial secretary, Brian Ahakuelo. Following Yamanoha’s cooperation, prosecutors convicted Ahakuelo on a whopping 69 counts including embezzlement, money laundering, and wire fraud with his sentencing set for March 2023.
