A Lahaina boat operator who ferried snorkelers off Lānaʻi has admitted he was doing it with fake federal paperwork. On Wednesday, 61-year-old Jeffrey Worthen pleaded guilty in federal court to wire fraud and to making a false statement to the U.S. Coast Guard after prosecutors said he used a forged Merchant Mariner Credential. The charges stem from a June 14, 2022 outing where the passenger vessel he was operating hit a rock, throwing five people into the water and injuring multiple passengers. Worthen is scheduled to be sentenced on June 15, 2026, and faces the possibility of federal prison time and fines.
Maui man pleads guilty to wire fraud and making a false statement for using a false merchant marine credentialhttps://t.co/QJc0kQJpAU
— US Attorney Hawaii (@USAO_HI) February 5, 2026
Prosecutors say Worthen faked federal credentials
According to Maui Now, court records show Worthen had been falsely claiming to hold a valid Merchant Mariner Credential as far back as 2012. In 2021, he allegedly handed a forged MMC to an employer so he could work on commercial vessels. Prosecutors say he did not just make up a number. They allege he stole the identities of a licensed boat captain, a business owner and an ex-girlfriend to build the bogus credentials. The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced the plea, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael F. Albanese is listed as the prosecutor on the case.
Crash off Lānaʻi and Coast Guard probe
On June 14, 2022, during a snorkeling charter near Lānaʻi, the small passenger vessel Worthen was operating struck a rock, tossing five passengers overboard and injuring several people on board, according to reporting by Hawaii News Now. When Coast Guard investigators later questioned Worthen about the incident, prosecutors say he told them he held a valid MMC, a statement that turned out to be false. The Coast Guard Investigative Service handled the follow-up investigation that produced the evidence used in the federal case.
Penalties, sentencing and investigation
Worthen entered guilty pleas to one count of wire fraud and one count of making a false statement to a federal agency. Wire fraud carries a statutory maximum of 20 years in prison, and making a false statement can carry up to five years, along with fines of up to $250,000 per count, according to Maui Now. Sentencing is set for June 15, 2026, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office post on X. Federal authorities say the Coast Guard Investigative Service led the investigation and that the falsified credentials opened the door for Worthen to operate in ways that put paying passengers at risk.
What passengers and operators should know
Federal rules require properly credentialed mariners for many commercial and passenger-for-hire trips, and the Coast Guard says captains are expected to carry Coast Guard-issued Merchant Mariner Credentials, according to guidance from the U.S. Coast Guard. Consumer safety resources also urge riders to ask to see a captain’s credential or a vessel’s Certificate of Inspection before heading out, a quick check that can help flag illegal or unsafe charters, per BoatUS.
With the criminal case now locked on the calendar for sentencing in June, any injured passengers still have the option of pursuing separate civil claims. The criminal side will determine whether federal penalties are imposed. The U.S. Attorney’s Office made the plea public in its announcement, and local news outlets have been relaying the government’s account of how the case unfolded.
