Sisters Sentenced for Embezzlement from Indian Tribal Government

(SitNews) Anchorage, Alaska - Acting U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced that Sylvia Toolie, 60, and her sister, Peggy Akeya, 57, of Savoonga, Alaska, were sentenced by Chief U.S. District Judge Timothy M. Burgess for embezzling funds from the Native Village of Savoonga (“Native Village of Savoonga” or “the Tribe”), which is located on St. Lawrence Island and island west of mainland Alaska in the Bering Sea.

Toolie was sentenced on September 13th to serve eight months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Akeya was sentenced on Tuesday, Sept. 12th, to a term of five years’ probation, three months’ home confinement, and 120 hours of community service. Toolie and Akeya were ordered to pay restitution to the Native Village of Savoonga in the amounts of $69,563.07 and $14,855.81, respectively. Judge Burgess also ordered Akeya to record statements for a public service announcement to raise awareness of the consequences that follow from embezzling tribal government or other public funds.

http://www.sitnews.us/0917News/092017/092017_sentencing.html