John Berrey, the chairman of the Quapaw Tribe of Oklahoma, is dismissing allegations that he and other tribal leaders "personally and unjustifiably" profited from the tribe's casino

Berrey says the tribe's grievance committee released a report into alleged misconduct as a "political stunt." He says internal and external audits have found no wrongdoing associated with the Downstream Casino Resort.

“This is a political stunt and this absurd notion that we would be involved in activity that would be damaging to the Quapaw Tribe and Downstream Casino reflects an attempt at destroying our reputation without any basis in fact,” Berrey said in an e-mail to The Joplin Globe.

Berrey, Vice Chairman J.R. Mathews and tribal council member George McWaters serve as board members of the Downstream Development Authority, which manages the casino. The grievance committee's report said the three leaders gave themselves large salaries and substantial bonuses and used tribal funds for personal expenditures and trips.

The report questioned the following expenditures:

• Fishing trips to Montana.
• Hiring a private jet at a cost of $3,830.
• Dinner at a Las Vegas restaurant costing $1,688, including $730 for two bottles of wine.
• Dinner at a Joplin, Mo., restaurant costing $1,248, including $840 for three bottles of wine.
• A $250,000 donation by Downstream Development Authority to the Razorback Foundation at the University of Arkansas.
• $50,000 to lease a luxury sky box at the University of Arkansas football stadium in 2008 and 2009.
• Four luxury box seats at the BOK Center in Tulsa at a cost of $14,700.
• Season tickets for Kansas City Chiefs games, at a cost of $50,432, plus $9,000 for food and beverages.

Get the Story:
Financial misconduct alleged w/ Quapaw committee resolution (The Joplin Globe 3/27)

Relevant Documents:
Grievance Committee Report (March 20, 2010)

Earlier Story:
Quapaw leaders accused of wrongly profiting from casino (3/23)