Tribal Trust Litigation: Information Wanted (good, bad, or ugly)

UPDATE 11-6-14:

Small world story: In response to the below request to the reading public for information, somebody forwarded me some very intriguing internet links of other blogs and news postings about allegedly corrupt practices purportedly committed by a couple of the law firms listed below. One of those blog links — if it can be believed (I haven’t researched that enough yet to make credibility decisions) — ties both of those law firms to a certain other set of lawyers one of whom, just by chance, I’ve investigated in the past.

Turns out that the guy I’ve run across before carried on an adulterous affair but never did leave his wife for the other woman. I had him under surveillance. Not that I’m opposed to adulterous affairs as a matter of principle; been there, done that. It’s just a part of how I make a living.

Anyway, keep the tips coming. When you start down the yellow brick road on one of these cases, you never can tell where it will lead…

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I’m working on an article for CounterPunch Magazine on Native American Tribal Trust litigation and how these lawsuits have been handled by non-profits such as the Native American Rights Fund as opposed to various groups of private lawyers.

I’m eager to get in touch with anybody who has information on any of the following people, tribes or institutions. Note that inclusion on the list doesn’t mean that they have done anything wrong; some of the people listed may be potential victims. Note also that some of these names may be very common so do not impute anything adverse just because somebody’s name might be in the list because of its commonality. If you know anything or know anybody who might know anything about these folks, bad, good, or otherwise, please e-mail me at:

[email protected]

or, use the feedback form at the bottom of this posting.

You may specify that your identity is to be considered confidential. As a journalist I am immune from court contempt proceedings. If you want to blow the whistle on corruption of any sort, I will protect your anonymity to the best of my ability.

Aside from my role as a private investigator which gives my sources a certain degree of protection under Section 7539(a) of the California Business & Professions Code, I also am protected by the immunity conferred by the California Constitution Article I, Section 2(b) and California Evidence Code Section 1070. I am a card carrying member of the Pacific Media Workers Guild Local 39521. I formerly served as the First Vice President of Newspaper Guild Local 39069 under presidents Gary North and Joe Segura. I am criminal justice and legal affairs columnist for CounterPunch Magazine as well as the operator of this Detective’s Diary blog.

Tribes That Have Entered into Settlement Agreements of Tribal Trust Cases

1. Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes of the Fort Peck Reservation
2. Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians
3. Blackfeet Tribe of the Blackfeet Indian Reservation
4. Bois Forte Band of Chippewa
5. Cachil Dehe Band of Wintun Indians of the Colusa Rancheria
6. Chippewa Cree Tribe of the Rocky Boy’s Reservation
7. Coeur d’Alene Tribe
8. Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes
9. Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians
10. Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation
11. Confederated Tribes of the Goshute Reservation
12. Crow Creek Sioux Tribe
13. Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma
14. Hualapai Indian Tribe
15. Iowa Tribe of Kansas and Nebraska
16. Kaibab Band of Paiute Indians of Arizona
17. Kickapoo Tribe of Kansas
18. Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians
19. Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians
20. Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe
21. Lower Brule Sioux Tribe
22. Makah Indian Tribe of the Makah Reservation
23. Mescalero Apache Tribe
24. Minnesota Chippewa Tribe
25. Nez Perce Tribe
26. Nooksack Indian Tribe
27. Northern Cheyenne Tribe of Indians
28. Omaha Tribe of Nebraska
29. Passamaquoddy Tribe of Maine
30. Pawnee Nation
31. Prairie Band of Potawatomi Nation
32. Pueblo of Zia
33. Quechan Tribe of the Fort Yuma Reservation
34. Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians
35. Rincon Luiseño Band of Indians
36. Rosebud Sioux Tribe
37. Round Valley Indian Tribes
38. Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community
39. Santee Sioux Tribe of Nebraska
40. Sault Ste. Marie Tribe
41. Shoshone-Bannock Tribes of the Fort Hall Reservation
42. Soboba Band of Luiseno Indians
43. Spirit Lake Dakotah Nation
44. Spokane Tribe of Indians
45. Standing Rock Sioux Tribe
46. Stillaguamish Tribe of Indians
47. Summit Lake Paiute Tribe
48. Swinomish Indian Tribal Community
49. Te-Moak Tribe of Western Shoshone Indians
50. Tohono O’odham Nation
51. Tulalip Tribes
52. Tule River Indian Tribe
53. Ute Indian Tribe of the Uintah and Ouray Reservation
54. Ute Mountain Ute Tribe
55. Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska
56. Qawalangin Tribe of Unalaska
57. Tlingit & Haida Tribes of Alaska
58. Northwestern Band of Shoshone Indians
59. Hoopa Valley Tribe
60. Ak-Chin Indian Community
61. Oglala Sioux Tribe
62. Yoruk Tribe
63. Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe
64. Paiute-Shoshone Indians of the Bishop Community of the Bishop Colony
65. Seminole Nation of Oklahoma
66. Otoe-Missouria Tribe of Oklahoma
67. Samish Indian Nation
68. Tonkawa Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma
69. Yakama Nation
70. Miami Tribe of Oklahoma
71. Navajo Nation

Individuals and law firms:

1. Gregory Andrew Yates, Esq.

2. Patricia A. Marks, Esq.

3. Luis G. Harbottle

4. Engstrom, Lipscomb & Lack

5. Girardi & Keese

6. Andrew L. Sandler, Esq.

7. BuckleySandler LLP

8. Mario Gonzalez, Esq.

9. Maurice Johnson, Esq.

10. Native American Rights Fund

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