A formal request has been made to the U.S. Attorney General’s office to open a federal investigation into an alleged scheme involving members of the Yurok Tribal Council and top executives. The investigation concerns the misuse of government housing funds and COVID relief funds, which were allegedly directed to benefit ineligible individuals, including tribal staff and executives.
Key Points of the Announcement:
- The scheme allegedly involves steering lucrative government housing funds and COVID relief funds to benefit council members, executives, and a former tribal chairwoman who were not income-eligible.
- The actions potentially constitute Federal Mortgage Assistance fraud, a crime that carries an average sentence of 14 months.
- The request for investigation comes after concerns were raised by Yurok Indian Housing Authority staff, housing board commissioner members, and tribal members who were denied housing services despite having high HUD need calculation scores.
- The investigation is requested to cover the program years from 2019 to present.
- The announcement characterizes the situation as a “multi-year, multi-million dollar conspiracy to defraud HUD and U.S. taxpayers.”
- A special request has been made for the assignment of Assistant U.S. Attorney Tim Visser from the fraud, public corruption, and civil rights division.
- The FBI’s regional field office is also requested to participate in the investigation.
Allen McCloskey “Yurok Tribal Member”, in making the announcement expressed gratitude to an “investigative tribal partnership” that helped uncover the alleged fraud. This partnership includes tribal members, housing commissioners, and housing staff.
The announcement concluded with a call to Yurok Indians to stay vigilant, keep informed, and cooperate truthfully with federal investigators when contacted.
This case highlights ongoing concerns about the misuse of federal funds in tribal communities and the importance of oversight in housing assistance programs.
Pfftt…right…like there isn’t enough rampant fraud already going on everywhere. If we are going to discuss the issue of misappropriated/abuse of funds, let’s talk about PPP programs, and how they are barely even catching up as theft is in the billions (which authorities won’t see by the way).
If we are going to talk about mortgage fraud, let’s go back to Bush era with de-regulation policies and how rates caused a bubble with the collapse because people kept filling applications with their pet’s name OR the fact that Wall Street Hedgefunds were allowed to buy homes by the lot essentially causing artificially inflated prices BUT no one says anything to that!
Let’s not forget people like Elon taking in tax payer money “subsidies”, and using his wealth for political gain: funding corrupt right wing campaigns. Where’s the outrage in that? Why people like him aren’t being investigated? Oh right…white/social privilege I suppose.
But yeah, let’s put ALL of our forces and eggs in one basket because the root of all EVIL is stemming from established tribal/federal entities.
SMH
Free Leonard Peltier, you jerks!