A Maui resident, Jeffrey Worthen, has pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of wire fraud and making a false statement to the U.S. Coast Guard. The announcement was made by United States Attorney Ken Sorenson. Worthen, 61, from Lahaina, admitted to falsely representing that he possessed a valid Merchant Mariner Credential (MMC) in order to secure employment on commercial vessels.
According to information presented in court, Worthen began these false representations as early as 2012. In 2021, he submitted the fraudulent MMC to his employer while operating a small passenger vessel used for snorkeling excursions near Lanai.
The case records indicate that on June 14, 2022, during one such excursion, Worthen was at the helm when the vessel struck a rock. The impact resulted in five passengers being thrown overboard and multiple injuries. When questioned about the incident by Coast Guard officials, Worthen falsely claimed he had a valid MMC.
Worthen faces up to 20 years in prison and fines up to $250,000 for wire fraud. He could also receive up to three years of supervised release for this charge. For making a false statement, he faces an additional maximum of five years imprisonment and another fine of up to $250,000 with up to three more years of supervised release.
The investigation was conducted by the Coast Guard Investigative Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael F. Albanese is handling the prosecution.
“United States Attorney Ken Sorenson announced that Jeffrey Worthen, 61, of Lahaina, Maui, pled guilty today in federal court to wire fraud and making a false statement to the U.S. Coast Guard. Sentencing is set for June 15, 2026.”
