Woman stole $300,000 from Skagway Traditional Council

An Oregon woman has been sentenced in U.S. District Court in Anchorage to 18 months in prison for embezzling $300,000 from the Skagway Traditional Council, a federally recognized tribal organization.

U.S. District Judge Sharon L. Gleason handed down the sentence for Delia Commander, 64, who was also ordered to pay restitution for the stolen funds.

Commander was employed from at least 2010 to 2014 as the tribal administrator for the Skagway Traditional Council, where she was paid $45,000 annually, plus benefits that included free housing.

Gleason said that such a large amount embezzled from such a small organization was an aggravating factor.

Commander was responsible for managing tribal housing, environmental and waste management, and finances for the tribal government. During her tenure as tribal administrator, the tribe received about $150,000 annually from the Bureau of Indian affairs for operating funds.

Commander embezzled the money by using the tribal credit card for unauthorized cash advances at casinos and other locations, and by making unauthorized personal purchases with tribal funds, including a trip to Hawaii, online university courses and more. The embezzlement was discovered after she resigned from her job in 2014.

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