MPR: Leech Lake Band official faces removal over $2.4M loan deal

Friday, January 7, 2011  

"The Leech Lake Tribal Council will decide as early as next week the fate of Tribal Secretary-Treasurer Mike Bongo, who is under fire for making a questionable multi-million dollar loan to a local businessman.

Bongo is accused of taking $2.4 million from the tribal treasury and loaning it to a Walker businessman. The tribal constitution says that kind of transaction requires the approval of the full tribal council and the signature of the tribal chairman and the secretary-treasurer. But Bongo authorized the secret deal on his own and his was the only signature on the loan.

The tribal council hired former U.S. Attorney David Lillehaug to investigate the loan. Lillehaug's report concluded that Bongo knowingly and negligently violated the band's laws and policies.

The recipient of the loan was Bill Bieloh. He was a well known Walker resident, and the founder of a big summer classic rock concert event in Walker called Moondance Jam. The big twist to this story is that Bieloh died of a massive heart attack in September, just a week after signing the loan with Bongo."

Get the Story:
Leech Lake secretary-treasurer faces recall hearing (Minnesota Public Radio 1/6)

Leech Lake Band official faces prosecution over loan agreement (11/23)