A sign at the offices of the Lower Brule Sioux Tribe in South Dakota. Photo from USGS / Flickr
The Lower Brule Sioux Tribe of South Dakota will welcome a delegation from the Bureau of Indian Affairs this week. The BIA agreed to visit the reservation to inspect the tribe's financial documents. Vice Chairman Kevin Wright, who declared himself chairman shortly before the death of longtime longtime Michael Jandreau in April, has been concerned about mismanagement. “The BIA is closely monitoring the events at the tribe and we share your concerns.” regional director Tim LaPointe said in a letter to Wright, The Sioux Falls Argus Leader reported. A report from Human Rights Watch accused the tribe of failing to account for millions of dollars in federal funds. The spending occurred under the Jandreau, who led the tribe for 36 years before his passing, but there has been no concrete evidence of wrongdoing. However, the Inspector General at the Interior Department is looking into the acquisition of a Wall Street firm that later shut down, the Associated Press reported last month. The tribe bought the firm with a $22.5 million loan that was backed by the BIA. Wright and other council members said they weren't able to see the tribe's financial records when Jandreau was in charge. Wright is now clashing with some of Jandreau's allies. Get the Story:
Delegation being sent to inspect Lower Brule financial records (The Sioux Falls Argus Leader 5/24) Human Rights Watch Report:
Secret and Unaccountable: The Tribal Council at Brule and Its Impact on Human Rights (January 2015)
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