A screenshot of the Plain Green Loans website.
An online lending firm is accused of cheating the Chippewa Cree Tribe of Montana out of $3.5 million. Encore Services and its president, Zachary Roberts, were indicted in federal court last month. They are charged with conspiracy to defraud the tribe, a scheme to defraud the tribe and bribery. According to prosecutors, the company and Roberts stole $3.5 million from the tribe through a fraudulent contract and used $1.2 million of those funds to make kickbacks to two former executives who already pleaded guilty for their roles in the scheme. Neal Rosette and Billi Anne Morsette worked for First American Capital Resources and, later, Plain Green Loans, the companies that Encore Services and Roberts started with the tribe. The case stems from a long-running investigation into corruption within the tribe and on the Rocky Boy's Reservation. More than two dozen Chippewa Cree leaders, employees and associates have been ensnared by the U.S. Attorney's Office in Montana and its Guardians Project. Since the project began, more than 80 people have been indicted on theft, bribery, conspiracy and other charges for crimes in Indian Country. Get the Story:
Ex-tribal partner charged in online lending kickback scheme (AP 4/13)
Billings contractor, 2 companies indicted in Chippewa Cree corruption case (The Billings Gazette 4/30)
Join the Conversation
Related Stories
Chippewa Cree Tribe yet to
emerge from wide-ranging scandal (03/29) Chippewa Cree Tribe accused of overbilling Montana for pipeline (02/26)
Chippewa Cree Tribe received $420M in federal funds over five years (12/03)
Plea deal entered in Chippewa Cree Tribe online lending case (11/17)
More executives targeted in Chippewa Cree Tribe criminal probe (08/31)
Former executives charged with theft from Chippewa Cree Tribe (8/26)
Chippewa Cree Tribe slams online lending lawsuit as 'baseless' (08/05)
Another sentence in Chippewa Cree Tribe corruption scandal (07/30)
Former Chippewa Cree Tribe chair sentenced in corruption case (07/29)
Ex-BLM official sentenced in Chippewa Cree Tribe corruption case (07/08)
Two face sentencing as part of Chippewa Cree Tribe corruption case (07/07)
Chippewa Cree Tribe elects Ken St. Marks as chair for fourth time (07/02)
Chippewa Cree Tribe corruption continues with more charges (6/25)
Chippewa Cree Tribe faces additional review of federal funding (6/23)
Chippewa Cree Tribe hit with class action over online lending (05/15)
Chippewa Cree Tribe ordered to pay $648K to ousted chairman (4/29)
Guilty pleas and sentences for Chippewa Cree Tribe corruption (04/20)
Another conviction from Chippewa Cree Tribe corruption probe (03/27)
Another guilty plea from Chippewa Cree Tribe corruption case (3/19)
Defendant disputes plea in Chippewa Cree Tribe corruption case (3/16)
Former Chippewa Cree Tribe chairman sentenced to 34 months (3/11)
Leader of Chippewa Cree Tribe ousted from office for 3rd time (3/4)
Minor setback in corruption probe on Rocky Boy's Reservation (2/23)
Chippewa Cree Tribe returns ousted leader to chairman's post (02/05)
Another guilty conviction and indictment for Chippewa Cree Tribe (1/30)
Former Chippewa Cree Tribe chair pleads guilty in corruption case (12/09)
Ousted leader of Chippewa Cree Tribe denies theft accusations (12/3)
Leaders of Chippewa Cree Tribe try to remove chairman again (12/2)
Chippewa Cree Tribe swears in chairman more than a year later (11/24)
Former chairman of Chippewa Cree Tribe enters guilty plea (11/13)
Republican lawmaker for reservations has felony conviction (11/10)
Former chairman of Chippewa Cree Tribe faces more charges (10/31)
Former health executive from Chippewa Cree Tribe sentenced (10/23)
Former chairman of Chippewa Cree Tribe to enter guilty plea (09/25)
Guardians Project brings more tribal corruption cases in Montana (9/24)
Chippewa Cree Tribe only receives 4.5 percent of loan revenues (9/10)
Chippewa Cree Tribe was awarded $1.1M over payday loan deal (9/9)
Chippewa Cree Tribe sues online loan business partners for $13M (9/5)
Another guilty plea comes in Chippewa Cree Tribe corruption case (08/19)
Chippewa Cree man sentenced to 7 1/2 years in corruption case (8/15)
Chippewa Cree Tribe takes Original Americans Foundation money (08/01)
Former employee sentenced for theft from Chippewa Cree Tribe (7/29)
Tribal corruption cases put Montana on top of prosecution list (7/14)
Ex-employee found guilty of stealing from Chippewa Cree Tribe (06/27)
Another person pleads guilty for Chippewa Cree Tribe scandal (5/13)
Former lawmaker pleads guilty in Chippewa Cree corruption case (04/03)
More criminal cases filed in thefts from Chippewa Cree Tribe (10/30)
Chairman of Chippewa Cree Tribe blocked from taking office (10/08)
Group forms to battle corruption on reservations in Montana (10/4)
New indictment in theft case involving Chippewa Cree Tribe (10/2)
Chippewa Cree Tribe delays swearing-in of chair amid challenge (08/08)
Health executive for Chippewa Cree Tribe indicted over theft (06/21)
Chippewa Cree Tribe postpones election due to challenge (05/22)
Chippewa Cree Tribe bars ousted leader from running again (5/10)
Chippewa Cree Tribe suspends two following theft indictment (5/9)
Five indicted over theft of money from Chippewa Cree Tribe (5/7)
Chippewa Cree Tribe under scrutiny for $361M pipeline project (04/22)
Chippewa Cree Tribe plans for special election for chairman (03/28)
Chippewa Cree Tribe removes leader after he refuses hearing (3/26)
Chippewa Cree Tribe meets to consider future of chairman (3/25)
Chairman of Chippewa Cree Tribe charged with trespassing (3/21)
Chairman of Chippewa Cree Tribe arrested in ongoing dispute (3/20)
Chairman of Chippewa Cree Tribe disputes removal from post (3/19)
