HONOLULU, HI – A prominent businessman from Honolulu, Michael Miske Jr., is currently on trial for leading a vast criminal conspiracy, according to prosecutors. The allegations include the channeling of drug money through shell businesses and orchestrating the torture and murder of his deceased son’s best friend in a complex revenge scheme.
Jury selection for Miske’s federal racketeering trial started on Monday. Several co-defendants who agreed to testify in exchange for plea deals, along with over 900 witnesses, are expected to testify in the case. Miske, 48, faces a multitude of charges, including murder, kidnapping, assault, racketeering, bank fraud, use of a chemical weapon, and cocaine distribution. The potential jurors have already expressed concerns about their safety and that of their families.
Miske is accused of running a criminal operation, dubbed the “Miske Enterprise” in the indictment, from the late 1990s until his arrest in July 2020. The arrest was in connection with the kidnapping and murder of 21-year-old Jonathan Fraser, who was best friends with Miske’s late son, Caleb.
Fraser was reported missing by his girlfriend to the Honolulu Police Department on July 30, 2016. Miske’s name was immediately linked to the investigation due to his known grudge against Fraser, who he blamed for Caleb’s death in a high-speed car crash in November 2015. Despite police reports indicating that Caleb was driving at the time of the accident, Miske maintained that Fraser was responsible.
Miske’s alleged criminal activities started to unravel following Fraser’s disappearance. Although a raid on Miske’s home in July 2020 yielded no clues about Fraser’s whereabouts, Miske and 10 co-defendants were eventually indicted. Miske had owned various businesses, including contracting, auto, and fishing companies, since the 1990s. His extermination business, Kama’aina Termite & Pest Control, was frequently advertised on Oahu.
However, the pest control offices were allegedly a hub for criminal activities, money laundering, and fraudulent employment of individuals engaging in violent or fraudulent acts on behalf of the Miske Enterprise. The group allegedly used guns, multiple cellphones, encoded communication apps, and in-person meetings to evade detection for decades.
Despite facing murder charges in Fraser’s disappearance, his body has never been found. James Borling-Salas, an associate of several members of the enterprise, provided a chilling account of Fraser’s final moments to FBI agents. He claimed to have witnessed Fraser being tortured and killed, with the gruesome events recorded on video.