Native man's casino cash an issue at US border

Friday, September 11, 2009  

A man from the M'Chigeeng First Nation in Ontario found himself in a holding cell after going back to Canada with his U.S. tribal casino winnings.

Lyman Corbiere is a regular gambler at the Bay Mills Resort and Casino, owned by the Bay Mills Indian Community of Michigan. He was headed home to his reserve with what he thought was about $10,000 in slot machine winnings when he was stopped by the U. S. Customs and Border Protection.

It turned out that he had about $19,000 in cash. U.S. authorities said he failed to properly declare the amount of money he was carrying across the border.

"They held me there for hours, locked me up in a holding cell," Corbiere told The Sault Star.

Corbiere was released after explaining how he obtained the money and why he was taking it back to Canada. Apparently, someone at his bank in Ontario had told U.S. border officials about someone coming in with large sums of U.S. currency.

As a Native person with status under the Indian Act in Canada, Corbiere believes he doesn't have to declare his cash. But U.S. authorities say Status Indians must follow the same laws as everyone else.

Get the Story:
Native man big winner at Casino, loser at border (The Sault Star 9/10)