The former office manager of an O'ahu music store was indicted by an O'ahu grand jury yesterday after he allegedly embezzled $368,000 from his employer to pay off debts at local strip clubs, police said.

Ronald Ching, who managed the financial transactions for ABC Music Inc. for more than five years, was indicted on a single count of first-degree theft, a Class B felony punishable by up to 10 years in jail and a $25,000 fine. Ching, who has no prior criminal convictions, is not in custody and a bench warrant has been issued for his arrest. Phone calls to Ching's residence were not answered yesterday.

Both Deputy City Prosecutor Chris Van Marter and Honolulu police detective Keith Tanaka declined comment yesterday, citing an ongoing criminal prosecution.

Starting in October 2000 and lasting until May 2004, Ching allegedly wrote 57 checks from ABC Music Inc.'s accounts to cover $368,000 worth of credit-card charges incurred at O'ahu strip clubs, according to police and proceedings in open court yesterday during the return of the indictment.

Ching allegedly wrote checks to pay for nine credit cards in his name, then intercepted the checks once they cleared and were returned to ABC Music Inc. and recorded them on the company ledger as payments made to Yamaha Music for supplies and services rendered, according to the court proceedings and police.

Ching resigned from ABC Music Inc. in 2004, and company officials learned of the missing money during an audit conducted shortly after Ching left.

The allegations against Ching represent the second case involving a private company and an employee to surface in Circuit Court this year.

Police are still investigating the case of a man who allegedly stole more than $245,000 from Honeywell International Inc. during a lavish 11-day spending spree that included luxury vehicles and strip clubs.

John L. Kahana IV is wanted on charges of credit-card fraud and is the subject of a civil suit, according to police and a document filed in O'ahu Circuit Court.

From Aug. 8 to 19, he allegedly used his company-issued American Express card to charge $245,672.11 in personal items and services while on unpaid leave, according to a civil complaint filed in court on Aug. 23.

Most of the money, $164,302.47, was spent on a customized 2006 Hummer H2. Police and an investigator with Honeywell's security division believe Kahana may have sold the Hummer or traded it for construction equipment, according to court records.

Reach Peter Boylan at pboylan@honoluluadvertiser.com.