Friends and family welcomed Elouise Cobell, the lead plaintiff in the Indian trust fund lawsuit, as she returned to Montana on Wednesday.

Growing up, Cobell heard from elderly relatives about missing checks and underpaid royalties. When she became treasurer of the Blackfeet Nation, she saw first hand the lack of accounting of Indian trust funds.

Finally, in 1996, she filed the lawsuit after growing tired of the government's promises to clean up the accounts. After more than a decade of litigation, the case was finally settled for $1.4 billion in cash payments and $2 billion for a land consolidation program.

"We are very proud,” said sister Julene Kennerly, KFBB-TV reported. “She persevered. She won the battle. She won it for all Native Americans."

Get the Story:
Elouise Cobell Returns to Montana After Native American Settlement (KFBB 12/9)
Indian land trust abuse and the woman who finally got US to pay up (The Christian Science Monitor 12/10)

Relevant Documents:
Agreement | Press Release | Q&A | Audio

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