A northern California tribe that the State tried to shut their casino down for corruption claims in court that its former economic development director swiped $838,000 to buy himself a house. Seems lie a lot, but it's about a third of what Pechanga has stolen from one of 230 tribal members they disenrolled.
The Paskenta Band of Nomlaki Indians sued John Crosby, his wife, Cornerstone Community Bank and Quicken Loans, on Feb. 11 in Shasta County Court.
The tribe, whose land is in Tehama and Glenn counties, sought venue in Shasta County because the property in dispute is there. The tribe of roughly 240 members operates the Rolling Hills Casino in Corning.
It claims that while working as economic development director in January 2012, Crosby withdrew $838,434.14 in cash from a tribal account at Cornerstone Community Bank, bought a cashier's check for that amount, and used it to buy a house in his and his wife's names.
The Crosbys then borrowed money against the house - $417,000 from Quicken Loans and a revolving loan of $190,650 from Cornerstone Community Bank, according to the complaint.
"Plaintiff only became aware of Mr. Crosby's actions following his termination in April 2014 and after conducting a months-long investigation into the unlawful dealings of Mr. Crosby and others," the complaint states.
The property is listed for sale with an asking price of $1.3 million, the tribe says. It claims it is the rightful owner of the property because Crosby bought it with tribal money.
It seeks a judicial determination of the parties' rights and obligations, an injunction preventing sale, and quiet title against any claims by the Crosbys or the lenders.
"Unless and until they are enjoined and restrained by this Court, the Crosby defendants' continued possession of the subject property and their efforts to sell it will cause great and irreparable injury to plaintiff in that the subject property could be sold without plaintiff's knowledge and permission, and the proceeds from any such sale, which rightfully belong to plaintiff, could be placed in accounts inaccessible to plaintiff," the complaint states.
On June 3, 2014 the tribe said in a statement that an internal audit of its business accounts had revealed embezzlement by John Crosby and others. The statement said Crosby is a former FBI agent . The tribe alleged that Crosby and the tribe's former treasurer's husband set up an account with themselves as signatories and wrote hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of checks to each other.
"Crosby wrote over $600,000 in checks for home improvement, including landscaping, a tennis court, pool construction and an outdoor kitchen," the tribe said.
In June last year, during a tribal dispute, California sued the tribe to enjoin the factions from carrying firearms, deploying tribal police or trying to take over the casino
can i say PICAYUNE...to the tune of $50 MILLION unaccounted for??? a mere drop in the bucket, by comparison...but the REAL issue at hand? the theft of over a THOUSAND picayune tribal citizens very birthright as indian people, by our own corrupt tribal council(s)!!!f
ReplyDeleteAll of those who put there hands out to turn a blind eye to the corruption of some of the Tribal Leaders should take note here,the second there is an audit or the second the leaders look guilty of theft and corruption they are going to turn the tables on you and sue you or blame you and have you arrested. It is also very believable that these agents are helping to steal from the tribes. It is very sad, the corruption from the tribal leaders, the corruption from the BIA, the corruption from the ASIA, the corruption from the Mayors, the corruption from the Governors,the Corruption from all government, the corruption from the sheriffs,the corruption from the police departments, and the corruption of the FBI, all of these are entities that are supposed to be trustworthy, honest, and for the people. Are there any honest leaders out there?
ReplyDeleteNon of these recognition problems took place until $$$ was brought in. Our Ancestors are rolling watching the greedy bad actors try and justify their member enrollment process. Before reservations and Federal recognition clans did not always get along, they just faced the truth and recognized. Now clans get blinded by the truth and want to say we don't recognize you, even though you show everyone inside and outside you are recognized even by our elders and ancestors. The reservations where created for "ALL".
ReplyDeleteWe know the truth. We know that the reservations where created for our Ancestors and their rights. Without reservations the Federal recognition of the band would be small or none at all. Wake up Pechanga, how would you be here today without federal recognition? No one is more Pechanga than anyone else. We are "ALL" recognized whether we agree or disagree. Share the truth is more productive than lies and misinformation.
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ReplyDeleteI don't want back with my ex-wife sorry.
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