HONOLULU (KHON2) — Former University of Hawaii basketball star and ex-Waiakea High School coach Justin Alika Smith has pleaded not guilty to charges of second-degree theft and check fraud.
Smith, who is accused of embezzling $3,600 from parents who paid for a boys’ basketball trip, entered his plea in court on Friday.
Smith allegedly collected $3,627 from parents for lodging arrangements but did not forward the full amount to the company responsible for the accommodations.
Instead, court records indicate he paid only $500 to the company and issued a check for the remaining balance, which was returned unpaid.
Smith is accused of failing to settle the remaining amount.
Acting Attorney General Matthew Dvonch criticized the alleged misuse of trust, stating, “The people of Hawaii expect their public servants to act with honesty and integrity. When a public servant steals, the people’s faith in government is undermined.”
He added that the Department of the Attorney General is committed to prosecuting those who betray their positions of trust.
Smith, who served as Waiakea’s coach from November 2021 to November 2022, also had a notable coaching career at Kalaheo High School, winning three state championships.
He gained prominence as part of the “Dynamic Duo” at the University of Hawaii in the late 1990s and remains the program’s third-leading scorer.
Facing a Class C felony charge of second-degree theft, which carries a potential five-year prison sentence and a $10,000 fine, as well as a misdemeanor charge of check fraud, Smith is scheduled to appear in court again on November 25.
Smith had previously posted $25,000 bail and was advised to contact the public defender’s office before his next court appearance.