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Thursday, October 23, 2003

Five members of the Northern Ute Tribe of Utah, including two former business committee members, have filed suit against the Bureau of Indian Affairs.

The suit accuses the BIA of allowing a financial advisor to have total control of the tribe's finances. The Jurrius Group, owned by John Jurrius, is paid $50,000 a month for his work, receives a portion of the tribe's oil and gas revenues and is trying to access the tribe's $173 million trust fund, one of the plaintiffs said.

Luke Duncan and Ron Wopsock were ousted from the business committee for filing the suit, they allege. They say the tribe has lost money and has been forced to lay off employees because of Jurrius, who has hired his brother as CEO of the tribe's business enterprises.

Get the Story:
5 members of Ute tribe sue Indian affairs bureau (The Deseret News 10/23)
Ute board expels longtime members for 'misconduct' (The Deseret News 10/23)

Related Stories:
Ute tribal election said tainted by endorsement (04/23)

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