Controversial Ex-Oglala Sioux President Faces Federal Larceny, Fraud Charges

The former leader of the Oglala Sioux Tribe, which operates the Prairie Wind Casino on its Pine Ridge qualification inward South Dakota, is cladding federal conducting wire fraud, larceny, and embezzlement charges.

Julian Bear Runner, 37, was chairwoman of the tribe for minuscule more than a year. But during that time, he managed to embezzle to a greater extent than $80,000 in tribal funds, according to a federal indictment, unsealed Thursday.

He used the funds as his have personal piggy bank, which included “cashing the checks and disbursement the money at the Prairie Wind Casino,” per the indictment.

The ex-president is accused of submitting fraudulent vouchers inward enjoin to have checks from the tribe for work-related trips that were ne'er taken. He denies the charges,

‘Scheme to Defraud’

Bear Runner became the 2nd youngest leader of the Ogalala Sioux on his November 2018 election, but now after taking office, he meshed in “a scheme and artifice to defraud the Ogalala Siouan Tribe and enrich himself,” according to homage documents.

Beginning inward January 2019 and continuing through January 2020, Bear Runner began scheduling prescribed journey and receiving checks for related costs when inwards fact he was non traveling or incurring the costs of airline business flights, hotels, or food,” reads the indictment.

“Despite knowing he had non travelled and that he was not entitled to the jaunt funds, Bear Runner fraudulently submitted vouchers claiming he was going to traveling and was entitled to trip funds,” it adds.

Checkered Legal History

Bear Runner’s tenure was pertinacious past controversy. He backed imperfect causes within the tribe, such as same-sex union and legal marijuana, patch opposing legalizing inebriant in casinos.

But inward May 2020, he was arrested on the reservation for drunk impulsive and assault.

In July of that year, he was suspended from office staff for 30 years after council members were aggrieved that he made himself unreachable after issuing a 72-hour lockdown during the pandemic, The Rapid City Journal reports.

A month later, he was placed on volunteer(a) leave after existence accused of coercing a 17-year-old manly into sex. He narrowly survived an impeachment voter turnout but later failed to win keep for reelection inwards November 2020.

Days later, he was arrested inwards Rapid City for nonstarter to vacate. That was after constabulary responded to a call in that he was fighting common soldier security measures at the Cheers Sports Bar & Casino at the Grand Gateway Hotel.

Bear Runner is currently being held awaiting trial inwards the Pennington County Jail.

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