Michael Jandreau, 1943-2015. Photo from Lower Brule Sioux Tribe
Leaders of the Lower Brule Sioux Tribe of South Dakota remains divided into rival camps following the death of longtime chairman Michael Jandreau. Jandreau ran the tribe for 36 years before his passing on April 3 at the age of 71. Vice Chairman Kevin Wright stepped in as acting chair but his claims of leadership have been disputed by allies of the late chairman. Wright was already at odds with Jandreau over the tribe's finances. So he's welcoming an audit of $19.15 million in federal funds.
A sign to the offices of the Lower Brule Sioux Tribe in South Dakota. Photo from USGS / Flickr
“We have millions and millions of dollars coming in here ... where’s all this money going?” Wright told the Associated Press. The Inspector General at the Interior Department is looking into the tribe's grants. At issue are $3 million from the Bureau of Indian Affairs, nearly $9.4 million from the Bureau of Indian Education, $2.75 million for a fire hall and $4 million for a water system, the AP reported. Additionally, the purchase of a Wall Street firm that later shut down is also under review. The tribe used a $22.5 million loan that was backed by the BIA to buy the firm. Get the Story:
Feds auditing nearly $20M in grants to Lower Brule tribe (AP 9/7) Human Rights Watch Report:
Secret and Unaccountable: The Tribal Council at Brule and Its Impact on Human Rights (January 2015)
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