A Hawaii man was sentenced Wednesday to four years in federal prison for scamming an elderly man in Irvine out of $1.8 million.
John Tamahere McCabe, 42, of Kailua pleaded guilty in May 2025 to one count of wire fraud, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
U.S. District Judge Fred Slaughter ordered McCabe to pay $1,814,000 in restitution.
While claiming he would help the 78-year-old man sell his yacht, McCabe instead falsified documents to transfer ownership to himself, federal prosecutors said. He then pocketed the profits and spent the money on himself.
He also persuaded the victim to transfer his $1 million Irvine home into a company McCabe controlled, falsely claiming it would pay off in tax benefits, prosecutors said.
McCabe took out $1 million in loans on the home, draining it of its equity, according to prosecutors. McCabe defaulted on the loans, forcing the home to be sold in foreclosure and leaving the victim homeless, prosecutors said.
The total loss for the victim has been calculated at $1,814,000, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.