Woman Stole Oil and Gas Royalty Income from Her Family Members

The OIG investigated allegations that Doris White, Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, Eagle Butte, SD, stole trust income from her family members who had inherited income-generating land. The Bureau of Indian Affairs held the land in trust and the Office of the Special Trustee for American Indians (OST) administered the income. We substantiated the allegation. White admitted to us that her family members were not aware of the oil and gas royalty income generated by the land and that between 2005 and 2017, she stole nearly $1.4 million from their accounts. She intentionally concealed the lease income by hiding, and eventually destroying, the family members’ account statements. White said she used the stolen money on herself and her family members. White pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court for the District of South Dakota, Central Division, to one count of larceny, 18 U.S.C. §§ 661 and 1153, and was sentenced to 3 months in prison. She agreed to pay $1,398,713.83 in restitution to her family members.