Charges made against convicted Rocky Boy leader's company

MATT VOLZ

Associated Press

HELENA — Representatives of a pipe company started with money embezzled from the Chippewa Cree Tribe pleaded guilty Wednesday to falsely claiming to be a minority-owned business controlled by a former tribal leader who was later convicted in a corruption investigation.

The claim that former state legislator and Chippewa Cree Construction Corp. CEO Tony Belcourt owned 51 percent of MT Waterworks LLC gave the company an advantage when competing for government and tribal contracts as a disadvantaged business enterprise, Assistant U.S. Attorney Carl Rostad said in court...