Former Tribal Social Worker Sentenced for Stealing Thursday

SEATTLE — A former Snoqualmie Tribe social worker will serve five months in federal prison after stealing more than $17,000 in Social Security benefits intended for a disabled tribal child under her care, federal prosecutors announced Thursday.

Akeatha Diane Akintola, 48, formerly of Bellevue, pleaded guilty to theft of public funds involving $17,638 in Social Security survivor benefits meant for a minor tribal member with intellectual disabilities.

At sentencing, U.S. Magistrate Judge S. Kate Vaughan ordered Akintola into custody immediately. The judge said the defendant had targeted one of the most vulnerable victims imaginable.

There is no one more vulnerable than the victim in this case. This was an ethical breach beyond imagining.

— U.S. Magistrate Judge S. Kate Vaughan

Benefits Intended for Child Deposited Into Personal Account

According to court records, Akintola began working as a social worker for the Snoqualmie Indian Tribe in January 2023.

In September 2023, she applied by phone to become the Social Security representative payee for a minor child who was a ward of the tribe. The child’s mother had died, leaving Social Security survivor benefits for the child.

Federal prosecutors said tribal policy prohibited social workers from serving as representative payees for children under tribal care. Despite that policy, Akintola used the child’s Social Security number and her own information to secure approval as the representative payee.

Once approved, she directed the child’s benefit payments into a bank account she controlled.

Prosecutors said Akintola spent the money on personal expenses, including purchases at a retailer in North Bend.

Discovery of the Theft

The scheme unraveled in July 2024 when Akintola accompanied her supervisor to the Social Security Administration to determine why the child’s benefits were not being received.

According to court records, Social Security officials informed them that Akintola herself had been designated as the representative payee.

Akintola denied being the payee when confronted, prosecutors said. She resigned from her position with the tribe the following day.

Tribal Representative Condemns Conduct

A representative of the Snoqualmie Tribe delivered a victim impact statement that sharply criticized Akintola’s actions.

In our profession, a social worker is meant to be a safekeeper. A protector for children who have been stripped of their safety, family, and stability.

— Snoqualmie Tribe representative

The representative said Akintola “weaponized her position of power” and exploited the trust of a grieving autistic child for financial gain.

The statement described the stolen benefits as a critical resource intended to support the child’s future independence.

Defendant Missed Original Court Hearing

Akintola’s plea and sentencing hearing had originally been scheduled for May 22, 2026.

However, prosecutors learned she left the United States on May 20 and traveled to Togo in West Africa using a passport issued under a different last name.

She later returned and appeared in federal court Thursday, where Judge Vaughan imposed the prison sentence and ordered her taken into custody immediately.

Restitution Ordered

In addition to the prison term, Akintola must repay $17,638 to the Social Security Administration.

The court also permanently barred her from serving as a Social Security representative payee in the future.

The case was investigated by the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General and the Snoqualmie Tribal Police. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica M. Ly prosecuted the case.

Frequently Asked Questions