Tribal Member Charged With Embezzling From La Jolla Band

nbcsandiego.com Tribal Member Accused of Embezzling $68K From La Jolla Band of Luiseno Indians

By R. Stickney

Published at 1:31 PM PDT on Apr 20, 2018 | Updated at 9:41 PM PDT on Apr 21, 2018

A member of the La Jolla Band of Luiseno Indians and a former employee of the Tribal Council was arrested Thursday.

Destiny Nelson, 35, is a tribal member and a former employee of the council who allegedly used her position to embezzle approximately $68,000, according to investigators.

The sheriff's department began investigating this case in September 2017 after the tribal council contacted deputies to report suspicious financial transactions by an employee.

Nelson was booked into the Vista Detention Facility on charges of embezzlement, identity theft, forgery and grand theft, according to the San Diego County Sheriff's Department.

The La Jolla Indian Reservation is located off State Route 76 in the northeast area of San Diego County at the base of Palomar Mountain.

First Rule of Embezzling Money

The First Rule of Embezzling Money from the Tribe is that you have to be a tribal leader imbued with sovereignty in order to avoid charges and jail time. This is where these Mountain Ute went wrong. They should have won (or stole) an election first and then no one would care.

Ute Mountain Ute members accused of stealing from tribe, laundering money through casino

By KIRK MITCHELL | kmitchell@denverpost.com | The Denver Post
December 18, 2017 at 10:02 am

Seven people charged in fraud scheme

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The most severe charges were filed against Jaramillo, who was an employee of the Ute Mountain Ute’s financial services department.

She was charged with embezzlement and money laundering. She faces up to 10 years in prison on the embezzlement charge and 20 years in prison on the money laundering charge.
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Read full article at link above.

Wow, I wonder who told her to embezzle and money launder or did she do it on her own?

Were the charges brought in order to scare these 7 to see if they rat on bigger fish?  Or is this much ado about nothing?

I don't have an opinion either way.

Paskenta Band of Nomlaki Indians Investigates Potential Embezzlement of Funds

KRCR News - Tribe investigates misappropriation of funds

By Vienna Montague, Producer

Redding, CA - The Nomlaki Indian Tribe, also owners of Rolling Hills Casino, have suspended tribal members found guilty of embezzling more than $1 million.

Chairman Andy Freeman of the Paskenta Band of Nomlaki Indians, owner of Rolling Hills Casino in Corning said the theft and misappropriation of tribal funds were carried out by certain members of the Henthorne/Pata family.

The Henthorne/Pata family was suspended by a quorum of the Tribe’s General Council on April 12.

Chairman Freeman and other administrators met with the Tehama County Sheriff’s Office, Tehama County District Attorney, Corning Police Department and other officials to review the findings.

Read More Here - KRCR News - Tribe investigates misappropriation of funds

Other Related News:

Paskenta Band of Nomlaki Indians Tribal Council investigation reveals misappropriation of over $1 million of tribal funds by suspended members of Henthorne/Pata Family

From the above article:

Chairman Freeman stated, "The Tribe's General Council has taken decisive actions against those who have stolen and misappropriated tribal assets and will pursue all legal avenues for restitution."