Former Mississippi Choctaw chief questions FBI raid of casinos

Wednesday, April 2, 2014  

A former chief of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians is still trying to figure out why the FBI raided the tribe's casinos back in 2011.

Federal agents raided the Silver Star Hotel and Casino and the Golden Moon Casino on July 12, 2011, for unknown reasons. No charges have ever been filed and an FBI spokesperson declined to comment to The Neshoba Democrat.

But Beasley Denson, who was chief at the time, wants answers. He believes the raid was timed to upset his re-election campaign -- he ended up losing to Chief Phyliss J. Anderson, the first woman to lead the tribe.

"I understand accountability to federal funds as well as Tribal funds," Denson told the paper. "To this day, I have a question: Why did they raid Choctaw?"

Denson plans to run for chief in 2015 and he doesn't want the raid to mar his campaign.

Get the Story:
Denson criticizes fed's '11 raid (The Neshoba Democrat 4/2)

Mississippi Choctaws plan to spend $88.1M for gaming projects (3/26)