Latest news with #Alm
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Torture now a class A felony in Hawaiʻi
HONOLULU (KHON2) — Torture is now a class A felony in the islands following Gov. Josh Green's signing of Senate Bill 281 on June 4. The bill, known as 'S.B. 281: Relating to Torture,' passed both houses of the legislature, receiving unanimous approval in the state senate and near unanimous approval in the house, minus one excused member who did not vote. Has Sam's Club stopped shipping online orders to Hawaii? The item was submitted to the 2025 Legislative Session by the City and County of Honolulu's Department of the Prosecuting Attorney and was sponsored by Sen. Ronald Kouchi. The legislation marks the first of its kind in the islands, with Prosecuting Attorney Steve Alm saying the new law helps toughen up 'inadequate' laws.'Until we submitted this bill as part of our legislative package, our state had inadequate laws to deal with perpetrators who use torture against children and vulnerable persons. Our state needed this law to protect those who are vulnerable and unable to protect themselves,' Alm said. The new law also provides significant aid in ensuring children who are victims of torture are able to get justice. 'Across the state, prosecutors have seen heinous crimes involving children who suffered acts of torture committed against them by their parents or those who have a duty to protect them,' Alm explained. 'The laws that we had to fight these crimes did not adequately address the criminal conduct exhibited in these cases.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Leading Microsoft Dynamics ISVs Combine to Create Global Solution Suite with Significant Growth Investment from Insight Partners; Joakim Alm Named CEO
STOCKHOLM and HOUSTON and AARHUS, Denmark and VENLO, Netherlands , May 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Four leading independent software vendors (ISVs) in the Microsoft Dynamics ecosystem – SignUp Software, SKsoft, DynamicWeb, and Axtension – have united to form a global solutions suite purpose-built for Dynamics 365. With a combined base of over 5,000 customers across 80+ countries, the new integrated organization will begin delivering a comprehensive portfolio of solutions that enhance financial, treasury, commerce, and operations workflows. This best-in-class suite of products includes ExFlow for financial and AP automation, SKsoft for treasury, payment, and reconciliation automation, DynamicWeb for omnichannel commerce and Product Information Management, and Axtension for production & project planning, document management, and shipping orchestration. Built for Microsoft Dynamics 365, the unified offering provides a scalable, tightly integrated solution set to streamline ERP processes and improve business outcomes. To lead this new phase of growth and guide continued worldwide expansion, seasoned software executive Joakim Alm has been appointed Chief Executive Officer to lead the new group. Alm previously served as CEO of Benify, a global benefits and HR platform. "Uniting these high-caliber ISVs under one roof gives our valued customers an end-to-end toolkit – enhancing financial automation and distribution workflows – all tightly tied to the Microsoft Dynamics 365 environment," said Joakim Alm, CEO. "Our shared Microsoft DNA and global partner network position us to deliver immediate value to customers & partners and accelerate innovation and AI development across the suite of products." This strategic and monumental combination was powered by global software investor Insight Partners, which will work alongside the leadership team to support continued innovation, geographic expansion, and further strategic acquisitions. "We are excited to partner with this world-class team as they build upon the strengths and proven successes of SignUp Software, SKsoft, DynamicWeb, and Axtension to establish a market leader for Dynamics-based ERP solutions," said Jared Rosen, Managing Director at Insight Partners. "The combined business and product portfolio is positioned to transform financial and operational workflows globally for Dynamics users, and we look forward to supporting its continued innovation, global expansion, and additional growth through M&A." This announcement marks a new chapter for the Dynamics ecosystem – delivering unified capabilities, accelerated feature development, and a global partner and customer experience designed for the modern ERP era. About SignUp Software: SignUp Software is a global leader in financial and AP automation for Microsoft Dynamics 365 with its solution, ExFlow. Through an extensive network of over 150 partners worldwide, the company serves more than 2,000 customers across 65 countries. About SKsoft: SKsoft is a global leader in banking and treasury automation solutions for Microsoft Dynamics 365. As the maker of global bank connectivity platform, BankFabric, SKsoft serves over 1,600 customers worldwide across 80 countries. About DynamicWeb: DynamicWeb is a global leader in delivering a product suite offering eCommerce, Product Information Management (PIM), and Content Management integrated tightly with Microsoft Dynamics 365. Through a partner network of more than 175 partners, DynamicWeb serves over 1,500 customers across the globe. About Axtension: Axtension is an independent software vendor dedicated to extending the capabilities of the Microsoft Dynamics 365 platform. The Axtension suite enhances the ERP's operational value through integrated add-ons for production & project planning, document management, and shipping orchestration. About Insight Partners: Insight Partners is a global software investor partnering with high-growth technology, software, and Internet startup and ScaleUp companies that are driving transformative change in their industries. As of December 31, 2024, the firm has over $90B in regulatory assets under management. Insight Partners has invested in more than 800 companies worldwide and has seen over 55 portfolio companies achieve an IPO. Headquartered in New York City, Insight has offices in London, Tel Aviv, and the Bay Area. Insight's mission is to find, fund, and work successfully with visionary executives, providing them with tailored, hands-on software expertise along their growth journey, from their first investment to IPO. For more information on Insight and all its investments, visit or follow us on X @insightpartners. View original content: SOURCE SignUp Software Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
14-03-2025
- Yahoo
Honolulu police warn of surge in online predators
Honolulu police and prosecuting attorneys urge parents to monitor their kids' online activities after 12 sexual assaults of children 17 years old and younger by pedophiles who lured them into physical meetings. The victims, between the ages of 11 and 17, met their abusers on social media, online gaming portals and dating applications during the past four months. Some of the cases involve men trolling young girls on social media sites like Instagram, befriending them, then meeting up, getting them into a car and assaulting them. Other cases involve men going after boys. They are a part of a surge in sexual assaults of minors and sextortion that troubles Honolulu police and prosecutors. 'It can happen in folks' houses, often plying them with alcohol and other drugs, (then ) filming the rape, the sexual interaction and then threatening them with publicizing on social media if they say anything to anyone, ' said Prosecuting Attorney Steve Alm. 'The teens are subject to this kind of extortion, and it puts them in a terrible situation. … We're really trying to raise awareness. We're talking every week now, cases are coming into our office.' Don 't miss out on what 's happening ! Stay in touch with breaking news, as it happens, conveniently in your email inbox. It 's FREE ! Email 28141 Sign Up By clicking to sign up, you agree to Star-Advertiser 's and Google 's and. This form is protected by reCAPTCHA. Sextortion, a crime that lacks a specific federal and state statute, is being aggressively investigated and prosecuted with existing laws and is and across the country, law enforcement and nonprofit organizations have told the Hono lulu Star-Advertiser. In 2023 the National Center for Missing &Exploited Children's Cyber Tipline received 186, 819 reports of online enticement, the category that includes sextortion. For every case that is reported to law enforcement, Alm warned, countless others are not. Speaking to reporters at a news conference in the Department of the Prosecuting Attorney's Richards Street headquarters, Alm said he and Honolulu Police Chief Arthur 'Joe ' Logan were there to 'sound the alarm.' 'We want to issue a stark warning to parents and teenagers about what's happening to your kids on social media. We have predators who are connecting to kids on social media ; they are arranging to meet them in person, and then they are sexually assaulting them, ' said Alm, standing before Logan and teams of their deputies. 'Growing up, parents maybe worried about the park down the street, or they might worry about a playground and watch their kids there. Well, now parents have to do the same thing on social media.' Joining Alm on Thursday was Division Chief Scott Bell ; Deputy Prosecuting Attorneys Ayla Weiss, Thalia Murphy, Melody Kaohu, Chase Sakai ; and Missing Senior Team Captain Rochelle Cusumano. Logan was backed by Assistant Chiefs Calvin Tong and Brian Lynch, Lt. Robert Jones and Detective Jolon Wagner. Prosecutors are trying to charge first-degree sexual assault cases against those who target minors, an offense punishable by up to 20 years in prison. Logan said HPD has been investigating 'numerous incidents ' where adults are preying upon children by portraying themselves as teenagers. 'Sadly, these activities lead to the exchange of information digitally online, sexual material and even physical sexual assaults, ' said Logan, noting that in the past four months, 12 cases are in 'various stages of investigation ' by police and prosecutors. Weiss said other types of cases involve perpetrators reaching out to minors, particularly teenage boys, and 'enticing them to send images or videos of themselves in the nude or engaging in sexual acts.' The pedophiles ask their victims to engage in video calls naked or doing something sexual in nature. The images, videos or screen shots from the video calls are used to extort the minor so that the images or video are not sent to their families and friends. 'These cases are occurring to minors here in Hawaii. The perpetrators could be located in Hawaii or … other countries where local law enforcement do not have any reach. There have been reports on the mainland of juvenile males committing suicide because they cannot come up with the money to pay the extortionists or they are too afraid to tell their family or to ask for help, ' said Weiss. Logan said sextortion and targeting kids online is an international problem that law enforcement is scrambling to address. Alm reminded parents that their children might hate intense oversight of their online activities, but until they are 18 they do not have a right to hide their phones or online access points from their parents. 'Preying on juveniles, younger people … is very serious, ' said Logan. 'It's unacceptable in our society.'
Yahoo
14-03-2025
- Yahoo
Honolulu police warn of surge in online predators
Honolulu police and prosecuting attorneys urge parents to monitor their kids' online activities after 12 sexual assaults of children 17 years old and younger by pedophiles who lured them into physical meetings. The victims, between the ages of 11 and 17, met their abusers on social media, online gaming portals and dating applications during the past four months. Some of the cases involve men trolling young girls on social media sites like Instagram, befriending them, then meeting up, getting them into a car and assaulting them. Other cases involve men going after boys. They are a part of a surge in sexual assaults of minors and sextortion that troubles Honolulu police and prosecutors. 'It can happen in folks' houses, often plying them with alcohol and other drugs, (then ) filming the rape, the sexual interaction and then threatening them with publicizing on social media if they say anything to anyone, ' said Prosecuting Attorney Steve Alm. 'The teens are subject to this kind of extortion, and it puts them in a terrible situation. … We're really trying to raise awareness. We're talking every week now, cases are coming into our office.' Don 't miss out on what 's happening ! Stay in touch with breaking news, as it happens, conveniently in your email inbox. It 's FREE ! Email 28141 Sign Up By clicking to sign up, you agree to Star-Advertiser 's and Google 's and. This form is protected by reCAPTCHA. Sextortion, a crime that lacks a specific federal and state statute, is being aggressively investigated and prosecuted with existing laws and is and across the country, law enforcement and nonprofit organizations have told the Hono lulu Star-Advertiser. In 2023 the National Center for Missing &Exploited Children's Cyber Tipline received 186, 819 reports of online enticement, the category that includes sextortion. For every case that is reported to law enforcement, Alm warned, countless others are not. Speaking to reporters at a news conference in the Department of the Prosecuting Attorney's Richards Street headquarters, Alm said he and Honolulu Police Chief Arthur 'Joe ' Logan were there to 'sound the alarm.' 'We want to issue a stark warning to parents and teenagers about what's happening to your kids on social media. We have predators who are connecting to kids on social media ; they are arranging to meet them in person, and then they are sexually assaulting them, ' said Alm, standing before Logan and teams of their deputies. 'Growing up, parents maybe worried about the park down the street, or they might worry about a playground and watch their kids there. Well, now parents have to do the same thing on social media.' Joining Alm on Thursday was Division Chief Scott Bell ; Deputy Prosecuting Attorneys Ayla Weiss, Thalia Murphy, Melody Kaohu, Chase Sakai ; and Missing Senior Team Captain Rochelle Cusumano. Logan was backed by Assistant Chiefs Calvin Tong and Brian Lynch, Lt. Robert Jones and Detective Jolon Wagner. Prosecutors are trying to charge first-degree sexual assault cases against those who target minors, an offense punishable by up to 20 years in prison. Logan said HPD has been investigating 'numerous incidents ' where adults are preying upon children by portraying themselves as teenagers. 'Sadly, these activities lead to the exchange of information digitally online, sexual material and even physical sexual assaults, ' said Logan, noting that in the past four months, 12 cases are in 'various stages of investigation ' by police and prosecutors. Weiss said other types of cases involve perpetrators reaching out to minors, particularly teenage boys, and 'enticing them to send images or videos of themselves in the nude or engaging in sexual acts.' The pedophiles ask their victims to engage in video calls naked or doing something sexual in nature. The images, videos or screen shots from the video calls are used to extort the minor so that the images or video are not sent to their families and friends. 'These cases are occurring to minors here in Hawaii. The perpetrators could be located in Hawaii or … other countries where local law enforcement do not have any reach. There have been reports on the mainland of juvenile males committing suicide because they cannot come up with the money to pay the extortionists or they are too afraid to tell their family or to ask for help, ' said Weiss. Logan said sextortion and targeting kids online is an international problem that law enforcement is scrambling to address. Alm reminded parents that their children might hate intense oversight of their online activities, but until they are 18 they do not have a right to hide their phones or online access points from their parents. 'Preying on juveniles, younger people … is very serious, ' said Logan. 'It's unacceptable in our society.'
Yahoo
05-03-2025
- Yahoo
2 women are indicted in 3-year-old girl's death
A grand jury Tuesday indicted two Oahu women in connection with the death of 3-year-old Sarai Perez-Riviera in Kapolei. The indictment charges 26-year-old Janae Perez and 34-year-old Ashleigh Utley with five felony counts, including second-degree murder, first-degree assault and kidnapping. Both women are being held without bail at the Oahu Community Correctional Center. On the evening of June 13, Honolulu police responded to a report of an unresponsive child at a residence on Kekuilani Loop in Kapolei. Emergency Medical Services and Honolulu Fire Department personnel attempted lifesaving measures on the child. She was transported to The Queen's Medical Center-West Oahu but was pronounced dead at 7 :44 p.m. First responders discovered Perez-Rivera malnourished with ashen skin and visible injuries, including bruises on her legs, hips, arms, face, back and head, along with abrasions and scab wounds on her hands and back, according to police. Following an initial investigation, Perez-Riviera's three siblings were placed into protective custody. The children were taken to the hospital, where a 6-year-old boy was treated for severe dehydration and later released in good condition. A 5-year-old boy was admitted for extreme dehydration, while a 2-year-old was examined and released. The gender of the youngest child has not been disclosed. On Feb. 24, after extensive testing, a forensic pathologist determined that Perez-Rivera's death resulted from dehydration and starvation. The pathologist also noted numerous contusions on her head and extremities and found her body weight and body mass index to be severely low, consistent with chronic abuse and neglect. Don 't miss out on what 's happening ! Stay in touch with breaking news, as it happens, conveniently in your email inbox. It 's FREE ! Email 28141 Sign Up By clicking to sign up, you agree to Star-Advertiser 's and Google 's and. This form is protected by reCAPTCHA. Perez and Utley were arrested Feb. 27 in the Kalihi area on suspicion of second-degree murder, first-degree assault, hindering prosecution and two counts of kidnapping, and were charged later that night. The two women also face charges for abusing other children in the household through similar neglect. 'The fact that a judge decided to hold these defendants without bail reflects the seriousness of these crimes, ' Honolulu Prosecuting Attorney Steve Alm said in a statement. Alm also referenced the office's efforts to strengthen laws protecting children from abuse, specifically citing two companion bills introduced to the Legislature this session. These bills aim to address gaps in current laws related to child torture, particularly cases involving starvation as a form of abuse. One of the proposed provisions—making the deprivation of food, water or clothing a crime—was not included in the passed version of Senate Bill 281. Alm noted that this law would have provided law enforcement with better tools to prevent such tragedies in the future. Second-degree murder carries a penalty of life in prison with the possibility of parole. Kidnapping, classified as a Class A felony, carries a sentence of up to 20 years in prison. First-degree attempted assault, a Class B felony, carries a sentence of up to 10 years. Both Perez and Utley face extended sentencing as multiple offenders. Both women are presumed innocent unless proved guilty. The prosecution of the case is being led by Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Erika Candelario.
