Dead swindler’s creditor in jail on theft charges

Unable to post $175,000 bail, Jon F. Anderton, 53, of Anahola, is in police custody after pleading not guilty to seven counts of first-degree theft at his arraignment Tuesday, a press release states.

He was arrested Monday night, said Christopher Young, supervising deputy attorney general in the state Department of the Attorney General’s Criminal Justice Division.

Anderton, owner of Exchange Accommodators, Inc., is alleged to have stolen more than $1 million from four different victims, according to a state press release.

During the period from May 30, 2006 through Sept. 30, 2008, Anderton failed to make required payments of his clients’ funds on behalf of or directly to his clients, according to the release.

Edmund Acoba, state public defender assigned to defend Anderton, could not be reached for comment late Tuesday afternoon.

Exchange Accommodators Inc. is not in the current Hawaiian Telcom Yellow Pages, but is listed online with a Princeville post office box, offering real estate exchanges and general real estate services.

The Web site listed, www.1031hawaii.com, was not operational Tuesday.

Anderton, listed online as a certified public accountant, is a creditor in the late James Lull’s bankruptcy case. Federal bankruptcy court records indicate Anderton loaned over $5.6 million to Lull.

Anderton’s trial is scheduled for the week of Aug. 10, before 5th Circuit Judge Kathleen Watanabe.

The arrest and charging of Anderton were accomplished with assistance from the Kaua‘i Police Department and county Office of the Prosecuting Attorney.

Kaua‘i prosecutors handled Tuesday’s arraignment and plea, but Young and another deputy attorney general will prosecute the case, Young said.

First degree theft is a class B felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison or a fine of $25,000, or both, per count.