Crow Tribe can't account for nearly $14.5 million in federal funds

Tuesday, June 26, 2018  

The leader of the Crow Tribe is pointing fingers at his predecessor after a new audit showed nearly $14.5 million in federal funds has gone unaccounted.

The tribe received the transportation funds under a government-to-government agreement with the Bureau of Indian Affairs. But the tribe failed to comply with the agreement, according to the Office of the Inspector General at the Department of Interior.

"The tribe did not have adequate internal controls and a sufficient accounting system to track claimed costs," a report made public on Monday stated. "As a result, the tribe was unable to support expenses claimed on the Agreement. We question the entire contract in the amount of $14,492,813."

In a statement to the Montana media, Chairman A.J. Not Afraid Jr. said the spending in question occurred during the tenure of his predecessor. He said he has been working to "clean-up" mismanagement within the tribe.

"Change takes time, but it continues to be the priority of this Crow Administration to provide a responsive and financially-responsible government to Crow Tribal Members, as well as to the taxpayers of the United States," the statement read.

But former chairman Darrin Old Coyote said he was not to blame. He told The Associated Press that a contractor assigned to the agreement failed to keep track of the costs.

The report did fault the contractor for the lapses at the tribe's finance department. The contractor was "let go" in July 2017, according to the Inspector general, and personnel associated with the contractor were eventually terminated as well.

As a result of the situation, the BIA has designated the tribe as "high risk," according to a letter from an official at the agency. The tribe can only receive funding "on a reimbursable basis only," the letter stated.

Read More on the Story:
Montana tribe can't account for $14.5 million (The Associated Press June 25, 2018)
Federal auditors say Crow Tribe can't account for $14.5 million in grants (Q2 News June 26, 2018)