Facebook Twitter Email
THURSDAY, APRIL 4, 2002

The Bureau of Indian Affairs in North Dakota is being told to find out why Standing Rock Sioux tribal officials allegedly gave out $7.4 million in personal loans from a settlement fund.

Cedric Good House, who sits on a committee overseeing how money from a $90 million trust fund is spent, said 600 loans were taken out prior to tribal elections last fall. After the election, he said the practice stopped but now 170 loans are delinquent.

The money comes from a trust fund Congress set up to compensate the tribe for flooding of their land from Lake Oahe. Per law, only the interest can be spent and it can only be used on certain projects.

Sen. Kent Conrad (D-N.D.), a member of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee who has helped steer similar compensation bills through Congress, told BIA regional director Cora Jones to investigate. He held a field hearing on the reservation yesterday and heard the allegations.

Get the Story:
Trust money diverted to loans (The Bismarck Tribune 4/4)

Related Stories:
River compensation bill advances (3/22)
Bill to compensate tribes for river losses (3/02)
Bill would put $290M in tribe's fund (9/14)