HR boss jailed for just 33 months after she stole more than $1m from her employer and gambled it all away in a single casino
Tahnya Hyung Shafer, a former human resources manager at Spokane Industries, was sentenced to 33 months in federal prison for stealing more than $1 million from the Washington state company. The fraud left the steel and iron castings business struggling to pay bills and contributed to its bankruptcy, while Shafer spent most of the money gambling at a casino.
From December 2022 to April 2025, Shafer inflated her pay and created fictional employees whose wages went into her accounts; after taking on accounts payable, she also redirected vendor payments. She pleaded guilty to one wire fraud count, with 26 other wire fraud counts and money laundering charges dismissed. The judge ordered more than $1 million in restitution, forfeiture of a property, and three years of supervised release; the company expects to emerge from bankruptcy in the next few months.
- Former HR manager stole more than $1 million from her employer.
- She spent most of the money gambling at an Idaho casino.
- Her 33-month sentence includes restitution and supervised release.
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Spokane Industries is a Washington state company that makes steel and iron castings. In recent years, it fell victim to a major fraud committed by one of its own employees, which ultimately contributed to the company's financial collapse.
Tahnya Hyung Shafer worked as the company's human resources manager and had access to its financial systems. Over roughly two and a half years, she stole more than one million dollars by inflating her own salary, creating fake employees whose wages she diverted to herself, and later by redirecting payments meant for company vendors.
The theft caused significant damage to Spokane Industries, leaving it unable to pay its bills and forcing it into bankruptcy. Rather than spend the stolen money on living expenses, Shafer gambled away most of it at a casino.
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The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
The sentence appears insufficiently severe for the calculated nature and consequences of the crime. Shafer systematically defrauded her employer over two and a half years through multiple schemes—inflating her own salary and fabricating employee records—directly precipitating the company's bankruptcy and threatening the livelihoods of its workforce. For white-collar crimes that destabilise businesses and harm entire communities, a 33-month sentence sets a weak deterrent, particularly given that restitution will take years to collect and cannot restore what employees lost.
The case against
The sentence reflects appropriate proportionality given several mitigating factors. Shafer pleaded guilty, demonstrating accountability and eliminating costly trial proceedings; she faces substantial consequences beyond imprisonment, including over £1 million in ordered restitution and property forfeiture that create real financial consequences. Her gambling addiction represents a genuine compulsive disorder distinct from calculated personal theft, providing clinical context without excusing the crime. The combined weight of incarceration, three years' supervised release, restitution obligations, and asset forfeiture constitutes a balanced sentence that holds her accountable whilst recognising rehabilitation potential.