Five indicted for stealing money from Chippewa Cree Tribe

Tuesday, May 7, 2013  

Federal authorities indicted five people for stealing money that was meant for the Chippewa Cree Tribe of Montana.

The tribe received $33 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act as part of a $361 million pipeline project. Authorities say hundreds of thousands of dollars were diverted to council member John Chance Houle and to Tony Belcourt, the CEO of Chippewa Cree Construction Corp., a tribal company.

The tribe is being investigated for its handling of the project. Former chairman Ken Blatt St. Marks, who was ousted in March after complaining about corruption on the reservation, says millions of dollars have been misused.

Get the Story:
5 charged with diverting stimulus money for tribe (AP 5/7)

Chippewa Cree Tribe under scrutiny for $361M pipeline project (04/22)
Chippewa Cree Tribe plans for special election for chairman (03/28)