The chairman of the Skull Valley Goshute Tribe of Utah is confident he will beat a six-count federal indictment of fraud and theft.

In a memo to tribal members, Leon Bear promised to "vigorously defend against these charges." He said plans for a nuclear waste facility on the reservation are moving forward.

But The Salt Lake Tribune cites court documents that indicate Bear is under further scrutiny by the federal government. The IRS wants to know why he bought a company to invest into the Japanese yen futures market. The company was operating under tribal law to take advantage of tax-free status.

Get the Story:
More trouble ahead for Goshutes (The Salt Lake Tribune 1/8)

Relevant Documents:
Federal Indictment (December 17, 2003)

Relevant Links:
Skull Valley Goshute Tribe - http://www.skullvalleygoshutes.org

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