Disgraced Hawaii couple to avoid trials with guilty pleas

HONOLULU — A retired Honolulu police chief and his wife convicted of conspiracy are pleading guilty in remaining cases against them.

It’s the latest disgrace for Louis and Katherine Kealoha, once considered a power couple. Katherine Kealoha is an ex-deputy Honolulu prosecutor.

Jurors in June convicted the Kealohas in a plot to frame a relative to keep him from revealing fraud that financed their lavish lifestyle.

A second trial for bank fraud and identity theft was scheduled for January. In a deal with prosecutors, the Kealohas are expected to plead guilty Tuesday to bank fraud. Katherine Kealoha’s attorneys say she will also plead guilty to identity theft.

She was facing a third trial for separate drug-dealing allegations with her pain physician brother. She’s also expected to plead guilty in that case.