The Fresno Bee has been on the Picayune Rancheria of Chukchansi Indians and their corruption from the beginning. A good negotiation plan would be to BRING ALL THE PEOPLE HOME
The federal agency that oversees Indian gaming is threatening to shut down the Chukchansi Gold Resort & Casino because of missing audits, some of which were due last year.
The National Indian Gaming Commission says the casino could close Oct. 27 if the missing audits are not submitted. The tribe also faces fines of up to $100,000 per day dating back to April 30. If fully assessed, those fines would equal $16 million.
In a five-page letter dated Tuesday, the NIGC’s acting chairman, Jonodev Chaudhuri, said that casino officials have not filed financial statements and audits dating back to 2012 and 2013, the earliest of which was due on April 30, 2013.
Audits are required so that the government officials are assured that tribal gaming meets certain federal guidelines. Audits are missed because they are hiding something, don't you thing??
READ THE WHOLE ARTICLE IN THE FRESNO BEE
The casino serves as the financial center of the Picayune Rancheria of Chukchansi Indian tribe’s operations, funding monthly payments to tribe members, as well as housing. utility, tuition and clothing assistance.
In September, the NIGC warned the tribe that it must submit the missing audits to clear up the violations.
In addition to the closure, the tribe was warned that it faced fines of up to $25,000 per day per violation if it continued to violate the commission’s notice. The NIGC said the tribe committed four violations, which means the penalties would reach $100,000 per day.
The tribe is now split between two leadership groups. A group made up of two previously bickering factions led by Reggie Lewis and Nancy Ayala operate the casino. Another led by Tex McDonald is headquartered in the tribe’s business complex. During a majority of 2012 and 2013, the tribe was chaired by Ayala or Lewis.
Rob Rosette, who represents the Lewis/Ayala “unification council,” said he doesn’t think the situation will reach the point that the casino is closed.
“We have been complaining to the NIGC that there are issues of noncompliance at the casino,” Rosette said. “We are relieved the NIGC is taking action.”
Under a 2013 judge’s order, competing factions must both approve paying a vendor. The two sides don’t agree how to get that done.
Rosette said the “unification council” is in the process of putting the audit documents together to avoid a potential closure.
“It’s a process that has been triggered,” Rosette said, “which means things will get fixed sooner rather than later.”
He said the issue will be cleared up within a few days or, at most, a few weeks.
But the McDonald group is dubious of Rosette’s claims.
“The NIGC gave them ample chances to live up to the law and they didn’t,” said David Leibowitz, a spokesman for the McDonald group.
Added McDonald, who became tribal chairman in December: “This is a matter of simple accounting and obedience to law. How can they possibly have let more than 1,000 jobs and millions in revenue be put at risk by another failure to obey the law?”
Tribal members can appeal the NIGC ruling.
A former McDonald group lawyer, Wisconsin-based Gary Montana, said it’s “probably for the best they (NIGC) shut down the casino until they sort this thing out.”
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28 comments:
From the Chukchansi Tribal Facebook Page:
The latest disgrace by Reggie Lewis, Chance Alberta and Nancy Ayala: Their failure to obey the law and file financial statements has led the NIGC to close our casino effective October 27th.
Your Council is working hard to avoid this disaster.
from the fresno bee article:
“We have been complaining to the NIGC that there are issues of noncompliance at the casino,” Rosette said. “We are relieved the NIGC is taking action.”
i seriously DOUBT that rosette's statement, that the picayune "unification council" is relieved, is true, as both reggie lewis and nancy ayala , who were "in charge" during much of the time the audits were not provided, are named on that "unification" council...in addition, the businesses run through chukchansi inc, primarily mananged by reggie lewis and chance alberta have allegedly gone through MILLIONS of the tribes monies as well--much of that coming from profits from chukchansi gold, and they have yet to come up with an audit of those businesses...perhaps ALL of the corrupt "tribal leaders" who have stolen so much from our people, not only monetarily, but in spirit through the dismemberment of over a THOUSAND of our chukchansi people, and the blatant violation of our tribal, civil, and human rights, will finally be held accountable and punished for their crimes against our people! we shall see...
'bout time!!! our chukchansi people need to come together and become a tribe again, NOT a corrupt corporation with no heart for our own chukchansi ancestors, elders and future generations!
!!!bring the people--ALL the people--home to picayune...where we belong!!!
our PEOPLE are our most important asset! NOT a corrupt business which has alienated and destroyed our families and the hearts of our people!!!
This must be a last minute effort by the NIGC to prove their legitimacy by actually trying to regulate the rampant corruption that Indian Gaming has bred. I wonder how much Pechanga pays the local NIGC field agent to over look the corruption at their casino.
Close the place ,,,worthless NIGC
hopefully Pechanga pays the feds. they don't pay"All" heirs, but hopefully they are covering the bills.
Don't believe Gary comments about Un tribe fighting he is the one who fueled this further. He was given the option and asked to do the right thing and help this tribe, he knows the truth, and he knows who is in the right. He knows the citizens, and back stabbed the picayune. The more fighting the more money for him. Remember tex has him paying him self cash!
This is a lot of bull....and some of the crazy people actually want a "unification council" to run the tribe and the casino? Karma will soon knock on the door of chance, nancy,reggie, nokomis, wyatt and ramirez families, that GM giffen tan, the security firms, the lawyers who are the real winners in this mess....You all have swindled, stolen, Misappropriated funds, given yourselves raises, bought buisness, bought motorcycles and houses all in the name of what, yourself? the tribe isn't benefitting from that like we should, because you dummys are taking the funds. anyone notice this bull going on besides me? chance for one has never been upfront and the council never held him accountable probably because they were getting a cut.
i will never trust the ayala, alberta, lewis fraction.....the creator can deal with them
Hey NIGC, just shut Chukchansi down and be finished with it already!!
I think very highly of you "for ALL nations...for ALL chukchansi people" you have been in this fight for our ancestral rights for a very long time now. I understand the message you speak, so believe there are many of us with you because we believe in the same fight.
If by motorcycles you mean Charlie he bought his bike before he got on council. Do you see him sitting with either side?
NIGC has no balls ( their dirty )
To anonymous yes I see Charlie choosing sides, right now he on Reggie side....you know it's true! But the amazing part to your comment is that your concerned about Charlie's motorcycle and not the millions that they have stolen or the houses in Hawaii they have purchased. I think you are missing the big picture, that unification council is a joke and they are like vulchers looking at dead caucuses......
It is amazing how ppl would want to see 1,100 employees and families no longer employed. year after year tribal members are screaming SHUT IT DOWN.,What about the employees who continue to support the general membership of the tribe by coming to work everyday, putting their best foot forward in the face of breeding hate and discontent between factions, and provide the guest service that continues to bring the tribe financial sustainability. The casino is an economic engine for it's surrounding community. Shutting down should not be an option. Quitting is taking the easy way out and is selfish.
North Fork will provide jobs for these dedicated people; close chukchansi down. They are making a mockery of Indian Gaming, much in the same capacity as the National Indian Gatekeepers of Corruption.
To those of you who don't want the casino shut down, what is your answer? So easy to judge and criticize yet why you come forth and stand up and say, enough! why don't you step up and lead the tribe? It appears that this so called unification is nothing but a joke! Seems like so many members are against all council members so why hasn't anyone got the backbone to come forth and get the members to sign a petition to get this corruption stopped? In life it is always the innocent that suffer. Is there any real Natives left?
I would ask the question, who in the tribe who wants to see change understands your constitution and bylaws. It is this person or persons who must direct the effort to create the necessary change within the limits of your governing policy. It is important to have the majority of the general membership aware and behind any effort you choose. One of the reasons there is so much confusion and fighting among the leadership is because there is no real agreement from the general membership about the direction the tribe should take. It is unfortunate that those in power use grand ideas of money and power, intimidation, and threats of disenrollment to keep the general membership from coming together.
Did anyone read your court documents tex has put the whole compact in jeapordy. He needs to go when your chairmen violates the compact nigc can shut the whole casino down indefinitely.
Where can I read those court documents you speak of regarding tex and messing up the compact
I listen to Reggie on TV and say
how wrong they are for coming and
beating up security and this is so
wrong but anyone who see this letter
he is the one that started all this
BS begin with wow he acting so
inocent not involved it just blows
me away he is the worst of all
F---k people back stapper and yes
we needs to be audit as well and
thrown in prison with the rest of
them. Yes I ask shut it down and
due a full investagation on all
of it then we will know the truth.
It is all greed money talks ehy
I am sure they took millions
from there own people and why
are they so afraid of the aduit
if there doing nothing wrong
hey show the goverment show the
files the audit if they have nothing to hide its all to fishy
to me
Go to Fresno bee article sheriff shuts down chukchansi and download the court documents
Ted Atkins, head of Security and Giffen Tan GM said it's their casino, how is it that a former CHP can harbor a felon, and no charges against him is file, and EVERY TIME drama comes up Giffin Tan Leave the country
Apartheid running bands should not get any support. They don't support "ALL" band members.
Dear Team Members,
As we receive our ballots to vote on November 4th, many of you have asked about Proposition 48. Since the voter information guide is a bit confusing, maybe even misleading, we want to be clear that Prop. 48 is bad for the vast majority of tribes and California. Thus, we ask you to vote NO on Prop. 48.
Proposition 48 is not about Indian gaming, it is about a Las Vegas Casino corporation (Station Casinos) attempting an end-run in order to place a new Indian casino in an urban area - away from existing tribal lands. In doing so, Proposition 48 breaks the promise that Pechanga and other tribes made to the voters of California: that Indian gaming would be limited to Indian lands.
Prop. 48 would also be unfair to the vast majority of tribes in California that have honored the promise of limiting gaming to existing Indian lands. If approved, Prop. 48 would open the door to an expansion of gaming into urban areas.
This is why we respectfully ask that you vote NO on 48 and encourage your family and friends to also vote NO on 48.
Please contact Jacob Mejia at Jmejia@pechanga-pdc.com if you have any questions. Thank you.
Sincerely,
Board of Directors
PECHANGA DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION
Board of Directors, Shame on you for this. Is this the way of our People? I think not ! When the truth is told, then you tribes wouldn't have to use Millions of dollars to keep other tribes from having casinos. People open your eyes and follow the Money. This is all about competition, and you are trying to stop this tribe from enjoying what you enjoy. You other tribes opened casinos by utilizing EXCEPTIONS in the law that didn't require you to secure State approval. Most are located on land out side of the tribes ORIGINAL RESERVATIONS !! You, Diane Fienstine, Cheryl Schmitt, and the big bank rolls are pulling a scam on the voters. Have you no shame??
VOTE YES ON 48 .....
I have commented twice about VOTE YES ON 48 and both never were published. WHY !!!Did the truth hit to close to home?
Vote Yes on 48
Just read a couple of articles, Chukchanci looks like Karma is biting your ass. Vote yes on 48. It's called fairness
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