The Native American Finance Officers Association supports an appeal of the $455.6 million ruling in the Cobell trust fund case.

NAFOA President Bill Lomax said he was "flabbergasted" by the low figure in the long-running case. The Cobell plaintiffs had asked for $47 billion for the federal government's failure to account for the Individual Indian Money (IIM) trust.

Judge James Robertson ruled that the Cobell plaintiffs failed to prove they were owed a large sum for the lack of an accounting. He also rejected claims that the government benefited from the failure to distribute all of the funds.

Robertson said he will hold another proceeding to determine how to distribute the money. He said his ruling has no impact on any damage claims that might be filed by individual Indian beneficiaries.

Get the Story:
Native American Finance Officers Assoc. applauds Cobell's plan to appeal ruling (The Glacier Reporter 8/19)

Court Decision:
Cobell v. Kempthorne (August 7, 2008)

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