The Chippewa Cree Tribe of Montana misused $3.6 million in self-governance funds, the Bureau of Indian Affairs says.

Over the last few years, the tribe used some of its self-governance money to pay for other programs where grants were promised but delayed. None of the money was lost, just transferred elsewhere within the tribe.

The tribe has agreed to repay all the money but to its own programs, not to the BIA. The tribe will make five annual payments of $800,000 to make up for the misused funds.

The tribe also will no longer receive its self-governance payment in an annual lump sum. The money will be distributed on a monthly basis instead. For 2005, the tribe is receiving $6.62 million for compacted programs.

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Tribe repaying $3.6 million in misused funds (The Havre Daily News 10/7)