North Idaho Woman Sentenced to 33 Months in Prison for Wire Fraud After Stealing Over One Million Dollars from Former Employer

COEUR D'ALENE - Tahnya Hyung Shafer, 48, of Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, was sentenced to 33 months in federal prison for wire fraud, U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis announced today.

According to court records, Shafer was a human resources manager for a small business in Spokane Valley, Washington. In this role, she oversaw employee benefits, payroll, and, eventually, accounts payable.

For approximately two years between 2023 and 2025, Shafer stole from her employer using multiple fraudulent schemes, including inflating her paychecks and causing apparently legitimate payments to vendors to be sent to her bank accounts instead of the vendors. In total, the Defendant stole over one million dollars, the vast majority of which she spent at casinos in North Idaho. As a result, the employer fell behind on bills, and the owners had to tap their own funds to keep their employees paid.

Chief United States District Judge Amanda K. Brailsford ordered that Shafer be placed on supervised release for three years following completion of her prison sentence. Shafer was also ordered to pay $1,040,126.27 in restitution to her former employer.

U.S. Attorney Davis commended the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, which led to the charges. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Johnson prosecuted this case.

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