Indianz.Com > About 350K to share in first round of Cobell settlement payout

About 350K to share in first round of Cobell settlement payout
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
Filed Under: Cobell
More on: alaska, arizona, doi, land consolidation, oklahoma

About 350,000 Indian beneficiaries across the nation are expected to share in the first round of payments from the $3.4 billion Cobell trust fund settlement, attorneys for the late Elouise Cobell said on Monday.

The first round will be a $1,000 payment to settle historical accounting claims. The money is expected to go out before Christmas.

“We all are happy that this settlement can finally be implemented,” lead counsel Dennis Gingold said in a press release yesterday “We deeply regret that Ms. Cobell did not live to see this day.”

An estimated 50,000 Indian beneficiaries in Oklahoma are expected to receive the $1,000 payment. Another 30,000 in Arizona are also slated to benefit.

About 5,400 Alaska Natives are also a part of the settlement. However, their share is likely to come from the portion of the settlement that addresses trust administration, The Fairbanks Daily News-Miner.

The trust administration payment will come to a minimum of $800. But many will receive additional funds based on the level of activity in his or her trust fund account.

In total, $1.5 billion was set aside for the historical accounting and the trust administration classes of the settlement. The trust administration payments will come in a second round at a later date.

Additionally, the Interior Department will spend $1.9 billion to buy fractionated interests from Indian landowners. The land consolidation program is entirely voluntary -- any land purchases will be returned to tribal governments.

Get the Story:
Payments to begin soon for Indian trust account holders (The Oklahoman 11/27)
Historic Native American Class Action 'Finally Has Ended' (The Blog of Legal Times 11/26)
Feds Finalize Cobell Settlement With Tribes (KPBS 11/26)
Some Alaska Natives included in Cobell land, trust settlement (The Fairbanks Daily News-Miner 11/26)
$3.4 billion Indian land royalty lawsuit ends after nearly 17 years, checks to be disbursed (AP 11/26)

Related Stories:
Obama announces final approval for Cobell settlement payout (11/26)
About 30K in Arizona expected to benefit from Cobell payouts (11/14)
Geoffrey Rempel: The truth behind the withdrawn Cobell appeal (11/12)
Ask Elouise: Appeals of $3.4B Cobell trust settlement dismissed (11/8)
Cobell settlement cleared after Supreme Court dismisses appeal (11/8)
Mary Aurelia Johns explains reasons for dropping Cobell appeal (11/08)
Supreme Court refuses to take Kimberly Craven's Cobell appeal (10/29)
Secretary Salazar anticipates Cobell payments by end of year (10/23)
Beneficiaries want Supreme Court to review Cobell settlement (09/24)
Obama nominates Vince Logan, Osage, as new Special Trustee (09/24)
S.E. Ruckman: Indian Country wants to see Cobell payouts (09/18)
ICT refused to run Keith Harper's response on Cobell stories (09/18)
Keith Harper: Just a few truths about Obama, Cobell and me (9/12)
Ask Elouise: Lead counsel Dennis Gingold on status of payout (09/11)
Native Sun News: Cobell settlement on hold with more appeals (08/31)
Reply for Kimberly Craven's Cobell appeal due September 21 (08/24)
Kimberly Craven appeal delays $3.4B Cobell settlement again (08/23)
Cobell critic asks Supreme Court to review $3.4B settlement (08/20)