A former employee of the Paiute Tribe. of Utah was sentenced to 68 months in federal prison.

Jeffrey C. Zander, 58, worked as the tribe's economic development director and trust resource director. Federal authorities say he stole Bureau of Indian Affairs grant money that was meant for the tribe and its five federally recognized bands.

Zander was convicted of mail and wire fraud, money laundering, and willful failure to file tax returns. He was tried in federal court in March.

“Prosecuting white collar crime cases is a high priority for our office. This case is particularly egregious because it involves a person in a position of trust with the Paiute Tribe, who diverted funds intended to help the tribe for his own personal use,” U.S. Attorney David B. Barlow said in a press release.

According to The North Coast Journal, a Utah man named Jeffrey C. Zander worked for the Redwood Region Economic Development Commission in California after leaving the Paiute Tribe in 2008. Zander, who served time in military prison for falsifying his legal credentials, resigned under a cloud.

At one point, Zander convinced the Paiute Tribe of hiring him as general counsel even though he lacked a license to practice law, the U.S. Attorney's Office said.

Get the Story:
Man who stole from Utah Indian tribe sentenced to prison (The Salt Lake Tribune 11/22)

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