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THURSDAY, JUNE 5, 2003

A Department of Interior audit found that the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe of South Dakota used a tribal trust fund as collateral for $7.4 million in loans to tribal members.

Sen. Kent Conrad (D-N.D.) requested the audit after he heard complaints, from tribal members, about misuse of the fund. DOI Inspector General Earl Devaney said all the money has been accounted for but that there is uncertainty about what the tribe can use it for.

As part of the probe, former assistant secretary Neal McCaleb removed Cora Jones, then-director for the Bureau of Indian Affairs for the Great Plains region, from handling any trust duties. She was eventually reassigned to another DOI job.

Get the Story:
Report details tribe's spending (AP 6/5)

Relevant Links:
Standing Rock Sioux Tribe - http://www.standingrock.org

Related Stories:
Misuse of trust money alleged (04/04)