Colorado authorities go after non-Indian in payday loan case

Wednesday, February 15, 2012  

Authorities in Colorado are still going after Scott Tucker, a non-Indian who is involved with the tribal payday lending industry.

A judge barred Attorney General John Suthers can't seek information from Miami Nation and the Santee Sioux Tribe due to sovereign immunity. But he intends to pursue a subpoena and contempt charges against Tucker, who is also a race car driver.

According to iWatch News, Tucker started a payday lending business in 1988. He became involved with the tribes a few years later, leading to a lengthy court dispute in which the tribes have won critical rulings.

"Despite aggressive legal actions by the Colorado Attorney General, the court ruled today to affirm the sovereignty of Native American tribes," Merle St. Claire, the chairman of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians who leads the Native American Lending Alliance, said in a press release. "This is a crushing blow for all those who are attempting to regulate or interfere with our right to engage in e-commerce activities such as personal loans offered over the Internet."

Get the Story:
Indian tribes tied to payday lender escape state probe (iWatch News 2/15)

Colorado judge backs immunity for tribes' payday loan firms (2/14)