John Tsukayama CPP CFE PCI

John K. Tsukayama, PhD, CFE (Ret.) is an investigator, scholar, and educator whose work bridges real-world experience and rigorous academic inquiry. He began his career as a Revenue Officer with the Internal Revenue Service in San Francisco and Honolulu before spending more than two decades conducting and supervising high-stakes investigations involving fraud, corruption, and serious misconduct. He ultimately served as an executive at one of Hawaiʻi’s largest security and investigations firms and co-led the landmark investigation into the Bishop Estate trustees for the Hawaiʻi Attorney General’s Office.

After leaving executive practice, Dr. Tsukayama turned full-time to scholarship, earning a BA in Political Science and History from Brigham Young University–Hawaiʻi, an MLitt in Terrorism Studies (Distinction), and a PhD in International Relations from the University of St Andrews, Scotland. Starting in 2013, he taught Political Science and Criminal Justice at BYU–Hawaiʻi, with emphases in critical thinking, ethical reasoning, and the real-world consequences of power.

He is the author of By Any Means Necessary: Veterans Talk Torture in the War on Terror and co-author of The Process of Investigation. His memoir, Lived with Purpose, reflects on a life shaped by service, family, and the enduring responsibility to live with honor, heart, and humor.