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Health clinic CEO charged at Rocky Boy

Feds: Tadios embezzled funds so she could visit husband imprisoned

for embezzling

Another Chippewa Cree tribal official has been indicted on charges of embezzling federal money from a Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation entity, including a charge she used some of the money to visit her husband who was in prison for embezzling from the tribe while he was its chair.

A federal grand jury indicted Fawn Hahn Tadios on four felony charges stemming from allegations she stole more than $50,000 from the Chippewa Cree Tribe’s Health Board and clinic while she was chief executive officer.

The grand jury was convened as the result of a cooperative investigation by the Inspector General’s Office of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Federal Bureau of Investigation

Tadios pleaded not guilty in federal District Court in Great Falls Tuesday. Federal Magistrate Judge Keith Strong released Tadios on special conditions and set a scheduling conference with U.S. District Judge Dana Christensen July 3.

The Havre Daily News last Thursday began requesting tribal officials confirm a rumor that Tadios had resigned as CEO of the Health Board. The tribal government has not yet responded.

A July 8 hearing on an appeal of a restraining order Tadios obtained against former Business Committee Chair Ken Blatt St. Marks still is pending. Tadios requested the order, saying St. Marks harassed her by yelling at her and by making sexually suggestive comments.

In Hill County Justice Court, Judge Audrey Barger issued the one-year restraining order preventing or limiting contact between St. Marks and Tadios.

St. Marks has maintained that Tadios’ request for a restraining order, and his being suspended and then removed as tribal chair, stem from his investigation of fraud and abuse in the Chippewa Cree tribal government. Allegations include wrongdoing at the Health Board and in the regional water project, as well as his allegations of finding embezzlement and abuse in other tribal departments.

A trial is scheduled for Nov. 12 on 17 charges filed against Tony Belcourt, CEO of the Chippewa Cree Construction Corp .; his wife, Hailey Lee Belcourt, Chippewa Cree Business Committee member John “Chance” Houle; along with Tammy and Mark Leischner and Howard James Eastlick, all of Laurel. Those charges allege the defendants embezzled federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act money allocated to the Rocky Boy’s/North Central Montana Regional Water Project, on which Chippewa Cree Construction is the lead contractor.

The tribe’s Business Committee, in an unannounced meeting, suspended St. Marks as chair March 15. It removed him as chair in a closed meeting March 25, saying in a press release his removal was due to “neglect of duty and gross misconduct.”

St. Marks has maintained that his removal was illegal and he still is chair, and has said federal whistleblower protections have been violated.

The Chippewa Cree Tribe Election Committee first approved St. Marks as a candidate in the special election to fill the tribal chair slot emptied by his removal, then disqualified him after another candidate protested. St. Marks appealed his removal, and his candidacy — and the special election — still are pending.

One of the charges against Tadios alleges that between Dec. 15, 2011, and Sept. 17, 2012, Tadios used tribal clinic funds to visit her husband, Raymond “Jake” Parker, who was serving a 16-month sentence in federal prison camp in Yankton, S.D., for embezzling tribal funds.

Parker resigned as tribal council chair May 23, 2011, then pleaded guilty the next day in federal court in Great Falls to a charge he used a credit card issued to the Chippewa Cree government for nearly $60,000 in personal expenses.

According to the grand jury indictment, Tadios paid for visits to Paker using a tribal credit card and receiving travel advancements and reimbursement, costing the tribal clinic $17,922 of money it received from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

The second count of the same charge, theft from an Indian tribal government receiving federal grants, between Jan. 27 and Nov. 8, 2012, embezzled $7,780 in clinic grant funds using a credit card for her personal expense.

The third charge, theft from an Indian tribal organization, alleges that between Nov. 15, 2011, and Nov. 8, 2012, Tadios embezzled $25,702 for her use and the use of another, although the charges do not name the other party.

In the federal courts, indictments are sealed until the defendant enters a plea, and no information, including arraignment dates, are released.

The fourth charge, theft from a health care facility, charges Tadios with embezzling “over $100” from the Chippewa Cree Health Board between Dec. 15, 2011, and Nov. 8, 2012.

 
 

Reader Comments(10)

big writes:

Rich...Couldn't agree with you more....before you natives start yelling prejudice ..I am from rocky boy and an indian....enough with the lies, stealing, and embezzling .....

onlinetalk writes:

Just a reminder, everybody has gotten rich on this stolen money, some how, some way; dope, drinking, and donations! Be accountable for your own actions. The guilty will be taking up for their own families. Saying this and that.The old people used to always say the half-breeds will start stealing when the full-bloods die off. Whom, the Chippewa-Cree Tribe enrolled when they didn't have no where to sit on. And they still enroll outsiders! I mean whites.WOW! Let the humble rejoice in God's name.

Woww writes:

This all boils down to nepotism. Fawn was married to Jake, Jake is related to the Belcourts and Houle's who are sitting on the council and hold all the power on the rez. So basically it was what you call the good old boy club you cover up my indiscretions and I will cover up yours. They never thought the FBI was going come around and catch them with their hands in the proverbial cookie jar but here they are.

rich writes:

Nothing will change at the Reservation EVER!! This happens every year, happened last year the year before why are we surprised? Until Natives change their way of thinking about being a sovern nation and having their own laws, own government, nothing will change. It is pretty obvious they can not govern themselves. Until they start living like the rest of us Americans cut their government funding 100%. Dont give them a dime unless of course you want someone to steal it.

Bill writes:

Did you see the smoking gun pic of a $1,500 Christmas Bonus check signed by Rick and Harlan on FB. $1,500 for the council and ZERO for the less fortunate. I see a John Kerry moment - I actually did vote for the $87 billion before I voted against it. Embezzlement of tribal funds for personal use at another secret meeting? Nah, they were just wetting their beaks

Whyhate writes:

You all hate Kenny Blatt. He was not indicted with the others. Get a petition going to get rid of the 9 members that are still in Control of Federal money. You all cripe about Kenny, if it wasn't for Kenny this abuse would still be swept under the table, them 9 members ae now saying they didn't know. get real and let the rest of the people know what's going on, you're all hiding, whispering. be a MAN and talk with the people.

hahaha writes:

What a joke it doesn't take much too make Ken look bad! He cried when he didn't get all of the contracts on Rocky Boy Rez., that's what I call greed, those of you that are fooled by this are plan stupid and are just wanting more hand-outs, which I am sure Ken is ready to give cause you're all being used by him! GO get and a get JOB!

thisissomething writes:

This article names not one, not two, but FIVE...FIVE non enrollees who helped themselves to the tribes cashflow. Why didn't you council stand by your oath of office to protect and serve the tribal members first??? How did this happen under your leadership??? This has caused so much division between families and friends. It makes me sick, you don't know who you can depend on anymore. What are any of you council doing for the people except hiding around and trying to make kenny look bad??

justwondering writes:

Makes one wonder if there really was 'sexual misconduct'? Sounds to me that Fawn Tadios was just trying to come up with a plan to hush St. Marks? And does the 'second party' the story refers too on the '3rd charge', is that Jake Parker again? Did the money go the kids? Why wasn't it revealed who that other party was? This whole embezzlement biz is getting better and better as each month goes by. (Shakes Head)

cmon writes:

geez...cmon ppl this should wake alot of you enrolled members up dont sit back and watch DO SOMETHING we need to come together and get the remaining council out before we get further in THE HOLE..your health care is more important to sit back and watch the corruption. The meeting thats taking place on Thursday needs to be attended so you can be heard!! these 8 remaining need to step down and let the ppl decide whats going to happen with our future generations