Lt. Gov. Dennis James Camacho Mendiola rented 66 vehicles without paying for them, leaving the Commonwealth with more than $260,000 in unpaid rental costs, according to a new eight‑count criminal Information filed June 4 by Assistant Attorney General Olga Kelley. The new case names only Mendiola as defendant.
The filing alleges that between May and December 2022, Mendiola rented the vehicles from Li’s Limited Corp. dba U Save Car Plus “without rendering any payments,” resulting in an outstanding government debt of $260,990. Prosecutors also accuse him of unlawfully transferring a 2010 Toyota 4Runner from Homeland Security to the Commonwealth Ports Authority without the rental company’s consent and misusing public funds by authorizing the transfer despite knowing it was not permitted by law. The government says the unauthorized transfer caused an additional $35,250 loss.
A penal summons has been issued, ordering Mendiola to appear before Presiding Judge Joseph N. Camacho on July 1 at 10 a.m. for his initial court hearing in the new case, docketed as CR 26‑0032‑CR.
This is the second active criminal matter involving the lieutenant governor. The earlier case, which began in 2025, originally named Mendiola, Homeland Security Special Assistant Joey Dela Cruz, and DFEMS Lt. Justin Paul Mizutani as co‑defendants. That complaint alleged the trio rented vehicles, failed to pay for them, and transported some aboard government‑chartered vessels without authorization.
The original case was dismissed without prejudice in January 2026 after prosecutors failed to comply with a court order requiring a bill of particulars. The OAG refiled it on Feb. 3, 2026 as CR 26‑0012‑CR, this time naming only Mendiola and Mizutani and reducing the charges to 13 counts. Both pleaded not guilty during their March 9 arraignment. A status hearing was held May 14, with the next hearing set for July 23 at 1:30 p.m.
