The Elk Valley Rancheria of California is trying to collect at least $480,000 from a gaming firm that just declared bankruptcy.
The tribe loaned the money to Ellis Las Vegas Inc. in 2008. Owner R. Shawn Ellis never repaid the loan so the tribe went to federal court in Nevada. “We won a motion for a summary judgement,” Bradley Downes, the tribe's general counsel, told The Daily Triplicate. “The defendants owe us all the money we asked for.” According to the paper, Ellis claimed that the loan agreement was invalid because it was never approved by the National Indian Gaming Commission. The judge rejected the agreement. The tribe hopes to collect $551,000 in damages plus interest from Ellis. Get the Story: