In January 2014, the Office of Inspector General initiated this investigation after the Cedarville Rancheria, Northern Paiute Tribe reported potential theft of Federal funds. The subjects allegedly used tribal credit cards for unallowable personal purchases between March and November 2013; these individuals were removed from their positions with the tribe in December 2013.

 

Our investigation confirmed that tribal credit cards were used to make unallowable personal purchases of $24,084.92 between March and November 2013. One subject paid off the purchases on the card with tribal funds and made no attempt to reimburse the tribe. We also found that another subject used an assigned tribal credit card to make less than $500 in unallowable personal purchases, most of which occurred in 2011.

 

The tribe was subsequently reimbursed for the loss amount by their insurance company after filing an employee dishonesty claim.

 

The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Eastern California declined criminal prosecution in this matter.