Delia Commander, 64, former Tribal Administrator for the Village of Skagway, was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison and ordered to pay $297,731 in restitution for embezzling approximately $300,000 from the Skagway Traditional Council over four years using tribal credit cards for casino cash advances and personal purchases — described by the prosecutor as the largest tribal fraud case she had worked on.

Skagway Traditional Council, Alaska — Tribal Administrator Embezzlement (2010–2014)

Outcome: Delia Commander, 64, of Oregon, former Tribal Administrator for the Village of Skagway, was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison and ordered to pay $297,731 in restitution for embezzling approximately $300,000 from the Skagway Traditional Council over four years — described by the prosecutor as the largest tribal fraud case in her experience.

From at least 2010 to 2014, Commander served as Tribal Administrator for the Village of Skagway, a federally recognized tribal organization in southeast Alaska. Using her administrative access to tribal financial accounts, Commander embezzled approximately $300,000 for her personal use through two primary methods.

First, she used the tribal credit card to make unauthorized cash advances at casinos and other locations — converting tribal funds directly to personal cash. Second, she made unauthorized purchases for personal travel, online university courses, vehicle maintenance, and personal shopping.

Commander pleaded guilty to one count of embezzlement from an Indian tribal organization. U.S. District Judge Sharon L. Gleason sentenced her to 18 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. The case was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Alaska.

Primary Source: Oregon Woman Sentenced for Embezzling Approximately $300,000 from a Tribal Organization in Alaska