This document provided by the Hawaii Attorney General's Office shows a fake COVID-19 Vaccination Record Card from a tourist visiting Hawaii. The Illinois woman submitted the fake card to avoid Hawaii's 10-day traveler quarantine, according to authorities, but there a glaring spelling error that led to her arrest: Moderna was misspelled "Maderna." (Hawaii Attorney General's Office via AP)
By Jennifer Sinco Kelleher
A 24-year-old Illinois woman submitted a fake COVID-19 vaccination card to visit Hawaii with a glaring spelling error that led to her arrest: Moderna was spelled “Maderna," according to court documents.
In order to bypass Hawaii's 10-day traveler quarantine, she uploaded a vaccination card to the state's Safe Travels program and arrived in Honolulu Aug. 23 on a Southwest Airlines flight, the documents said.
“Airport screeners found suspicious errors ... such as Moderna was spelled wrong and that her home was in Illinois but her shot was taken at Delaware,” Wilson Lau, a special agent with the Hawaii attorney general's investigation division, wrote in an email to a Delaware official who confirmed there was no vaccination record for the woman under her name and birth date.
The email is included in documents filed in court. She was charged with two misdemeanor counts of violating Hawaii's emergency rules to control the spread of COVID-19. She had been in custody on $2,000 bail until a judge released her at a hearing Wednesday and scheduled another hearing in three weeks, according the public defender's office.
State Public Defender James Tabe, whose office represented her at hearings this week, declined to comment on her case, noting it's not clear if she'll hire her own attorney or apply to have a public defender represent her.
The voicemail at a number listed for her in court documents was full Wednesday. She didn't immediately respond to a text message from The Associated Press.
In addition to the suspicious card, authorities determined that the travel information she provided listed she would be staying at a Waikiki Holiday Inn but didn't include a reservation number and return flight information, court documents said.
An assistant manager at the hotel confirmed to Lau that she didn't have a reservation. Lau said in the court document that he tried to call the number she listed, but her voicemail was full. He said he emailed her and didn't get a response.
Lau said he searched for her on Facebook and found a photo showing a “distinctive tattoo on her left hip area.”
The tattoo helped authorities find her at a Southwest Airlines counter when she was trying to leave Honolulu on Aug. 28, the court document said. She showed her ID and vaccination card to Lau, who informed her she was being arrested for falsifying vaccination documents.
Other visitors to Hawaii have been arrested for fake vaccination cards, including a father and son from California, who appeared in court via Zoom Wednesday and waived their rights to a jury trial.
The holidays are here, which means many will raise a glass. In fact, data shows the average American doubles their booze intake between Thanksgiving and New Years, with about 45% of those drinkers choosing vodka as their liquor of choice. Tony Latham, Bacardi's CFO, tells Cheddar what he anticipates will be the most popular spirit or cocktail this holiday season, as well as other trends going into the new year.
This holiday season, e-commerce sales are expected to hit 207 billion dollars, with17 percent of that chunk will occuring between the days of the deals - black friday and cyber monday. Deren Baker, CEO of edge by ascential, joins Cheddar News to give a Cyber Monday preview.
With Black Friday right around the corner, Trae Bodge, Smart Shopping Expert at TrueTrae.com joined Cheddar's Opening Bell to discuss holiday shopping tips ahead of the annual event.
According to recent data, Americans are pulling away from their television screens in a big way. In the last few months, people have returned back to more normal activities, spending time with friends and less time doom scrolling on Instagram, it's a favorite pastime. Licensed Psychotherapist and Author of "Disconnected" Tom Kersting, joined Cheddar to discuss more.
One former employee at Sony Playstation has just filed a lawsuit against the company on allegations of gender discrimination and wrongful termination. According to Emma Majo, the company says she was terminated as a result of the company's decision to phase out a team she was only temporarily working with. Executive Director at International Game Developer's Association Renee Gittins, joined Cheddar to discuss more.
Just hours before the scheduled execution of inmate Julius Jones, the Governor of Oklahoma Kevin Stit has now granted commuted his sentence to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Several advocates along with a number of celebrities have been fighting to stop the execution. Defense Attorney and Police Director Erin Haney, joined Cheddar to discuss more.
According to recent data from the American Gaming Association, U.S. Casinos have just experienced their best quarter ever, winning nearly $14 billion in the third quarter of the year alone. Reporter at The Nevada Independent Howard Stutz, joined Cheddar to discuss more.
Guilty verdicts have been handed down to the three men charged with killing Ahmaud Arbery. Arbery was out for a jog in February 2020 when Travis McMichael, William "Roddie" Bryan, and Gregory McMichael chased him down and killed him. The judge read the verdicts for each of the three men aloud, starting with the man who pulled the trigger, Travis McMichael. Kirk Burkhalter, professor at New York Law School joins Cheddar News to recap the trial.
All three defendants in the Ahmaud Arbery killing were found guilty today on numerous charges including felony murder. Criminal Defense Attorney Anthony Hall joined Cheddar to discuss.
