# DOJ Charges Army Official in Hawaii Bribery Case

Federal prosecutors allege that former U.S. Army Pacific official Carlos Duque accepted $1.25 million in bribes in exchange for steering contracts and subcontracts connected to the Hawaii-Pacific Innovation Campus. Two contractor executives also face charges. The alleged conduct occurred from January 2021 through October 2022 and involved contracts with allegedly inflated costs; the campus project has received more than $100 million in DoD funding, though that amount is not identified as the value of an individual contract. The case is not an open procurement opportunity, but it highlights integrity and oversight risks in defense innovation programs and related subcontracting.

- Procurement teams overseeing defense innovation work can use the case to review conflict-of-interest controls, subcontract pricing scrutiny, and oversight of contract steering risks.
- Contractors working on DoD-funded projects should maintain clear records supporting subcontract costs and decision-making, and ensure relevant conflicts are disclosed and managed.
- The allegations concern a program intended to let defense vendors demonstrate and test technologies for potential adoption; procurement stakeholders should account for the reputational and oversight risks associated with how such programs select and fund vendors.

**Jurisdictions:** federal
**Industries:** Defense & Military
**Topics:** Regulatory Compliance
**Published:** October 23, 2026

### Government Entities
- U.S. Army Pacific (USARPAC)
- U.S. Department of Defense (DoD)
- U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ)
- U.S. Army (Army)

### Vendors
- K3 Enterprises Inc. (Consulting firm founded by Brian Kent; alleged recipient of approximately $680,000 in payments connected to inflated government contract costs)

### Sources
- [Ex-Army official charged in federal bribery case | Honolulu Star-Advertiser](https://www.staradvertiser.com/2026/10/23/hawaii-news/ex-army-official-charged-in-federal-bribery-case) - Honolulu Star-Advertiser