Members of Quapaw Tribe seek damages for trust mismanagement

Monday, February 7, 2011  

Nine members of the Quapaw Tribe of Oklahoma have filed a lawsuit in the U.S. Court of Federal Claims, seeking damages for mismanagement of their trust funds and their trust assets.

The plaintiffs seek to represent a class of all Quapaw tribal members with trust assets. The lawsuit claims the federal government mismanaged their Individual Indian Money (IIM) accounts and their allotments.

“This lawsuit represents an important step forward for members of the Quapaw Tribe,” attorney Nancie G. Marzulla said in a press release. “Having grossly abused the Tribal members’ trust for so many years, it is only fair that the federal government now pay back the money that rightfully belongs to the Tribal members."

The settlement in the Indian trust fund lawsuit allows IIM account holders to opt out of the portion that deals with damages.

Get the Story:
Press Release: Tribal Members of the Quapaw Tribe of Oklahoma (the O-Gah-Pah) File Class-Action Lawsuit, Seeking Damages for Breach of Trust (Marzulla Law 2/7)