Tribal Corruption & Sell Outs
SIOUX FALLS | Federal auditors are examining nearly $20 million in grants to the Lower Brule Sioux Tribe in response to a human rights organization's report this year alleging financial mismanagement in the tribal government that already has been the subject of another federal investigation.
The audits of four projects are meant to make sure the money is being spent and handled correctly, and are not criminal inquiries, an official at the Interior Department's Office of Inspector General said. The inspection of $19.15 million in awards spanning several years comes at a sustained period of legal deadlock in the tribal government.
The dispute is between reform-oriented councilmembers and an old guard loyal to now-deceased Chairman Michael Jandreau, who led the tribal government for decades.
Human Rights Watch in January outlined numerous allegations against Jandreau and others, accusing them of diverting money and concealing financial activity, and the report ultimately helped spur the audits. Jandreau, who died in April, had vigorously denied any wrongdoing.
"It's really part of our basic oversight mission to protect taxpayer dollars and protect the citizens who are meant to be benefiting from these grants and from these monies," Nancy DiPaolo, a senior policy adviser in the office, told The Associated Press. "It was brought to our attention by that report, and so we went in and chose some to take a look at ... to try to get a picture of what's going on."
Jandreau's death intensified a political battle between members of the tribe loyal to the old administration and the new officials calling for more transparency, including former council Vice Chairman Kevin Wright, who is acting as chairman.
"We have millions and millions of dollars coming in here ... where's all this money going?" said Wright, who said he has been blocked from seeing the tribe's finances.
Nedra Darling, an Interior Department spokeswoman, said in an email the agency will "continue to monitor the situation closely and will take measures to ensure there is no interruption in services and that life and property are protected." She said the department has no plans to intervene in the dispute.
Two Jandreau supporters on the council, Orville Langdeau and John McCauley, didn't immediately respond to requests for comment.
The auditors are examining $2.75 million that the tribe used to design and build a fire hall; $4 million for operating and maintaining a water system; $3 million from the Bureau of Indian Affairs for facilities management; and nearly $9.4 million from the Bureau of Indian Education for tribally controlled grant schools and transportation, among other projects.
The audits will stretch back in some cases to at least fiscal year 2013, DiPaolo said. The outcomes could include findings of proper fiscal controls or recommendations for changes. If the auditors find anything like the mishandling of money, it would be sent to investigators for an inquiry that could lead to criminal charges.
"I think it is a promising sign, and more importantly, all of the programs they're looking at for the most part are programs that were meant to provide essential services to people on the reservation," Arvind Ganesan, director of Human Rights Watch's Business and Human Rights Division, said of the audits. "If money was misused, it will come at the cost of key things that people both at Lower Brule and elsewhere use."
The Inspector General's office is also still investigating the circumstances surrounding the tribe's purchase of a New York-based brokerage firm called Westrock Advisors Inc. that ultimately went bankrupt. That probe began in February 2013.
The Human Rights Watch report accuses tribal leaders and their business partners of securing a $22.5 million federal loan guarantee from the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Rather than putting the money toward its stated purpose of economic development, the funds were used to buy Westrock, which went bankrupt two years later, the report said. The guarantee was ultimately sold for about $20 million to another company, though the tribe hasn't disclosed the status of the loan, the report found.
The Inspector General's office also launched two other investigations into the tribe or an affiliated entity in 2003 and 2009, according to documents obtained by The Associated Press. In both cases, South Dakota's U.S. Attorney's office declined to prosecute based on weak or insufficient evidence.
HELENA (AP) – Two former executives of a Chippewa Cree Tribe online lending company have been charged with embezzlement and conspiracy.
Neal Rosette and Billi Anne Morsette pleaded not guilty Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Great Falls.
Rosette and Morsette were executives for First American Capital Resources, the tribe’s first attempt at providing short-term loans at high interest rates. The tribe later started another company called Plain Green that had financial and technical backing from the Texas-based Think Finance Inc., and First American faded away.
Federal prosecutors accuse Rosette and Morsette of withdrawing money from a tribal account by writing checks to the First American bank account. They then wrote checks from the First American account to themselves and to an account controlled by a former tribal councilman.
Prosecutors say they embezzled more than $55,000.
Oglala lakota Housing is doing what?.....WTF?
We were in Kyle yesterday August 31st, 2015 and this letter was brought to our attention from Tribal members.
What the hell is this? this particular letter was sent to an elderly lady 87-year her 88th birthday coming up on September 26th,2015. I wonder how many people got letters like this? And why are they doing this to our people? Who is behind this? Who gave the housing authority permission to do this? and what happens to the people who can't pay?
I have many relatives and friends living in housings somewhere. They never get renovated, some have furnaces that have never been repaired, I noticed yesterday a lot of roofs were in dire need of
replacement and the many homes that are boarded up at a time when housing is scarce. I find out these home are inspected once a year and nothing is ever done about it.
Yet those that work at Oglala housing (Upper end) make all the good money, brand new office, state of the art operation, yet they cant manage their way out of a paper bag. Where in the Tribal Constitution does it say they can do this? If it say's they can then why haven't they done this before? and if they did what was the results?
Yes! we understand most people cannot afford to pay the rent, with 85-90% unemployment what do you expect? Yet the tribal Council can spend thousand of dollars on travel? Personal Loans that
don't get paid back? Heck they get full pay to attend events and they show up just enough so people can see them then they are gone! and in the end what have they accomplished for the people?
ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!...They are in it for them selves and if the Tribal Chairmen support this? He should be impeached! What kind of leader allows this and does this to his own people?
Maybe we should be looking at what the treaty says? and How we are supposed to be provided for? Thousands of aces of land, trillions of dollars in resources taken from the Black Hills, Back
rent with interest? Just something to think about! We really need to move away from the BIA / IRA form of Government! This is the main cause of ALL our problems! The corruption is on checked and
our people are suffering and dying because of it!
My personal feeling is when they document that people cant pay back rent! and they Cant evict them (They know this) they will use this (Poverty Porn) to get the Black Hills Money! supported by
Tribal Council....yet in the end we will still end up back to this same place but with nothing! This works for the US Government.Most of the money will stay in the governments pocket's,
(Taxes and red tape) then those persung it next (legal profits and fees and fees and more fees) will have fat pocket's and by the time you and I get something (after more taxes and fees) there
won't be be nothing left but chump change...as always...then it will be over!
James Swan