A woman who embezzled more than $200,000 from the Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission while serving as its chief financial officer was sentenced Wednesday in Portland to eight months in federal prison.
Pamela J. Kahut, 68, stole $211,083 from the commission’s health care benefit trust account in 13 transactions from 2014 to 2020, Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Trisotto said. She used the money to pay her credit card bills, her pension loans and her husband’s long-term care annual premiums, he said.
The commission promotes responsible fishing practices, monitors fishing activities and collects data on marine fish for the fishing industry. It teams up with government agencies involved in marine management, such as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The six member states are Oregon, Alaska, California, Hawaii, Idaho and Washington…