In 1887, he was implicated in the infamous bribery scandal involving King Kalākaua over the sale of an opium license to Tong Kee.

He worked as a notary public and agent of labor contract for the island of Kauai, receiving his first appointment on December 13, 1877, and a later reappointment on January 13, 1879.

It was reported that Kaʻae had convinced a Chinese rice planter named Tong Kee, alias Aki, to make a bribe of $75,000 (of which only $71,000 was actually paid) to the king, in order to secure the grant of an opium sales license.

Shipments of the ballads arrived from San Francisco on May 13, 1887, and was distributed widely despite attempts by the government to seize the printed pamphlets.

This became one of the corruption charges which led to the coup of the king by the Reform Party and the signing of the 1887 Bayonet Constitution which restricted his executive power.

[3][13] In later life, Kaʻae attempted to claim, on behalf of his deceased second wife, the lands of Kealiʻiahonui, the son of the last independent king of Kauai Kaumualiʻi.