SPOKANE, Wash. (Gray news) – A former assistant director at the Department of Health and Human Services was convicted of bank fraud and embezzlement of $100,000 during her employment, according to the Department of Justice.
In a release, United States Attorney Pete Serrano said Tawhnee Willow Colvin was convicted of 25 counts of bank fraud and one count of embezzlement from the Spokane Tribe of Indians.
Colvin had been employed as assistant director of the Spokane Tribe of Indians’ Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and Division of Child and Family Services (DCFS).
Officials said Colvin had access to the Spokane Tribe of Indians’ bank account, which held funds meant to be used for the care of needy children in temporary custody of the Tribe.
According to the DOJ, Colvin used her position and access to the account to make more than 70 fraudulent money transfers between October 2019 and November 2023. These began with small transfers until she eventually transferred thousands of dollars at a time, totaling more than $50,000 from that account to her personal account. She also took out more than $50,000 in cash from the same account.
Colvin was terminated from her position on Oct. 23, 2023. However, authorities said she continued to fraudulently transfer funds to her personal account despite no longer holding her position.
“For years, Ms. Colvin abused the faith placed in her as a public servant to steal tribal funds intended to care for children in foster care,” W. Mike Herrington, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Seattle field office, said. “For her own personal gain, she stole more than $100,000, leaving the account almost completely drained. Every one of these dozens of transfers diverted resources away from the most vulnerable members of our society and into her pockets. The FBI is committed to holding accountable fraudsters who choose greed instead of safeguarding the funds under their stewardship.”
The Spokane Tribe of Indians thanked the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for bringing this case to a close in a press release.
Colvin’s sentencing is scheduled for December 15, 2025.
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