Sault Tribe Updates

Board Illegal Pays Bouschor Nearly $300,000

2011-01-12T15:40:00.000-08:00

SAULT TRIBE BOARD DROPS LAWSUIT & PAYS BERNARD BOUSCHOR, et al. Nearly $300,000 MORE! HELP US STOP PAYMENT ON THE CHECK.

January 12, 2011 Greetings!

I am sorry but I have some news that you are not going to like. At last night's Tribal Board meeting (1-11-11) a simple majority of the Tribal Board Members* voted to pay Bouschor, et al. $300,000 and dropped the lawsuit against him regardless of the nearly $3 million he received from our Elders, children and all Members of our Tribe. Just six Board Members (1 short of the positive majority - required by Tribal law) did so without exhausting our legal remedies including our right to an appeal.

WE NEED YOUR HELP IMMEDIATELY! PLEASE SIGN THE LINKED PETITION

We as Tribal Citizens can exercise our Tribal Constitutional right to stop this check by signing the attached referendum petition. If you want to help us do what is right, please:

1. Click on this link to print and sign the petition:

2. Place the signed petition inside of a stamped envelope and mail it back to me at: Aaron A. Payment 1716 Shunk Rd. Sault Ste. Marie, MI 49783

3. Call and/or email all of your Tribal family Members and Tribal friends and ask that they do the same;

4. Make a small donation if you can to help defray costs. In addition to this mass email (using a paid service) to Tribal Members I am doing a mailing to ask them to join us by signing and returning a petition. Any donation amount will be accepted but please no checks over $250 per person. Just place your donation in the mail with the signed petition.

Respectfully Submitted, Aaron A. Payment

Convicted Felon Fred Paquin's Theft of Federal Grant Funds & Subsequent Severance

2011-01-10T01:20:00.000-08:00

[This document and attachment are copied to the following recipients through the United States Mail]
The Honorable Jeff Davis, Assistant U.S. Attorney
The Honorable Lamar Smith, Chair - United States House Committee on the Judiciary
The Honorable Committee Members, United State Senate Indian Affairs Committee
Larry Echohawk, US Department of Interior - Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs

January 7, 2011

Mr. Eric Blubaugh, Tribal Prosecutor
Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians
523 Ashmun Street
Sault Ste. Marie, MI 49783

Dear Mr. Blubaugh:
Please pay attention to the fact that I have copied this communication to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Michigan as this issue deals with former Sault Tribe Chief of Police Fred Paquin’s theft of hourly wages paid in part under U.S. Department of Justice grants; through the Bureau of Indian Affairs Self Governance funds; and under the Sault Tribe’s Indirect Cost proposal. This letter is also copied to the Sault Tribe Board of Directors, U.S. Congressman Lamar Smith, Chair of the House Judicial Committee; the U.S. Senate Committee on Indian Affairs (no chair has been appointed as of this date to replace retiring Senator Dorgan); and Larry Echohawk, the U.S. Department of Interior Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs.

I clarify that I am submitting this letter not only as a citizen of my Tribal Nation - the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians, but also as a United States Taxpayer and voting citizen.

I am appalled that the Sault Tribe Board of Directors voted in a hastily called meeting on 12/28/10 (in non-compliance with the Sault Tribe Constitutional five day notice requirement to Tribal Citizens) to grant felon Frederick J. Paquin an employment severance of $18,000! This is shocking to many Sault Tribe Members as Fred Paquin, the former Chief of Police, was convicted of a felony by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Michigan of conspiracy and theft from the Sault Tribe and by extension - Federal U.S. Department of Justice and BIA Self-Governance funds. His sentence is to begin on January 17, 2011 of one year in a federal penitentiary and restitution of $231,000 which he directly stole and benefitted from personally.

For the record the approval was made with a simple majority vote with Bernard Bouschor (Unit 1), Debra Pine (Unit 1), Cathy Abramson (Unit 1), Joseph Eitrem (Unit 1), Lana Causley (Unit 2), Keith Massaway (Unit 3), and Patrick Rickley (Unit 3) voting in the affirmative with the negative votes coming from: Deidre Malloy (Unit 1), Catherine Hollowell (Unit 2), Tom Miller (Unit 4), Denise Chase (Unit 4), and Joann (Carr) Anderson (Unit 5).

It has been explained to me that the justification for this $18,000 payout for Paquin was due to the fact that he had an employment contract with a waiver of sovereign immunity for enforcement with the stipulation that if terminated for any reason, accrued vacation and sick time are required to be paid to the employee.

Notwithstanding the fact that Paquin was convicted of a felony which the contract contemplates as a breach of the contract voiding the obligation to pay out accrued vacation, I take issue with the misrepresentation that Frederick J. Paquin had $18,000 in accrued and unused vacation pay. A brief explanation following including attached evidence to demonstrate he did not have these hours accrued and was therefore not entitled to the aforementioned payout.

During the August of 21, 2007 meeting of the Sault Tribe Board of Directors held in Newberry, Michigan, a Tribal citizen asked the question of whether or not Fred Paquin, then a Member of the Sault Tribe Board of Directors and Chief of Police for the Tribe was in compliance with the Governmental Team Member Manual by using vacation time when absent from work to attend Greektown Management Board meetings as he was also a Member of this Board (the position of Chief of Police is wholly unrelated to this role). His answer was yes. The following day, I checked with the Human Resources Office and Payroll to determine if this were in fact the case. Upon learning that he had not followed policy to take vacation time while absent as other Members of the Sault Tribe Board who were also employed did, I directed the arrearage be corrected. The total number of hours was 320 amounting to a monetary value of $17,270. All policy and procedures were followed in correcting this act of employee theft. The action to remedy this situation stopped short of termination given the employee held an employment contract that further specified terminable offenses for contract employees not to include employee theft.

Throughout the balance of my authority as the Tribal Chairperson/CEO until July 3, 2008, I continuously stopped Victor Matson, Jr. – Sault Tribe CFO, from attempting to credit these hours back to Paquin. It is interesting to note that during this time period until now, Fred Paquin was arrested and prosecuted for assault of the Tribal Prosecutor’s secretary in one case, and for 16 Federal Criminal Indictments by a Federal Grand Jury related to his eventual conviction of conspiracy to commit fraud against the United States government.

Not currently in a position of authority to determine the answer directly, I have to guess that the $18,000 paid in a severance to Paquin was due to Victor Matson, Jr crediting Paquin’s accrued vacation time for those hours he did not work and did not use vacation time. This act itself, appears to be an act of fraud on Matson’s part as Paquin did not work these hours, did not utilize accrued vacation time but was ultimately nonetheless paid using funds that originated from Federal sources. I can attest that several Members of the Sault Tribe Board of Directors like Vice Chair Lana Causley are well aware that Paquin did not work these hours and did not utilize accrued vacation or sick but that he was nonetheless paid.

Attached is a series of documents that demonstrate Paquin’s theft and my attempt to correct this theft as it was the right thing to do but also to try to insulate the Sault Tribe from Paquin’s criminal actions and to try to restore some integrity in the Sault Tribe’s use of Federal funding.

The documents, all maintained in the Sault Tribe Human Resources Department, include:

Document Explanation

Exhibit # 1 of 6
Memo to HR Director from Aaron Payment, RE: “Vacation Leave Request and Payroll Error Form Arrearages and Correction” directing that Fred Paquin’s accrued vacation hours be corrected due to his failure to record the hours he was away from work. The total arrearage amounts to $17,270 which Fred Paquin stole from the Sault Tribe in the form of wages. This memo cites the proper use and procedure for use of employment vacation time.

Exhibit # 2 of 6
Signed “Leave Request and Approval” form to effectuate the correction of hours to reflect actual hours Fred Paquin did not work but for which he was paid. The total deduction was 320 hours for a dollar value of $17,270 calculated at the hourly rate of Paquin’s employment at the time he was absent from work.

Exhibit # 3 of 6
“Payroll Error Form” to effectuate the aforementioned correction. References attached spreadsheet (Exhibit 4).

Exhibit # 4 of 6
Dates Fred Paquin was absent from work due to attendance at Greektown related meetings. These meetings are entirely unrelated to Paquin’s employment as Police Chief. Policy requires prior written approval which was not obtained. Policy also defines this act as “Unacceptable Conduct” and prescribes disciplinary action up to and including termination (sees policy citations below).

Exhibit # 5 of 6
“Personal Action Form” directing that Paquin’s hours be adjusted for an unwarranted raise of 22% he received on 1/25/04 just one month after receiving the maximum allowable annual raise for 2004 (per policy) of 5% on 12/28/03. This raise was received the day of the 2004 Tribal Chairperson Notice of Election was released by the Tribal Election Committee leaving one to speculate that Fred Paquin and Bernard Bouschor had an arrangement for Paquin to receive the 22% raise (27% for the 2004 Fiscal Year) in exchange for Paquin not contesting Bouschor’s bid for re-election for the 2004 Chairperson race.

Exhibit # 6 of 6
Spreadsheet showing activity of when Paquin received raises including the percentage, the maximum allowable per policy, his hourly rates, and new adjusted annual salary. Paquin was not penalized for the arrearage but correct hourly wage was used to calculate his unwarranted accrued vacation hours.

Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians Governmental Team Member Manual Citations:

General Conduct Policy (Section AL1)
Falsification or omission of company records, including but not limited to time records, accounts payable, accounts receivable, employment records, expense reports, inventory, etc.
Failure to adhere to work schedules, or absences without permission; loafing; unauthorized use of time; or use of work time for personal business.

Further, Section AL4-AL7 “Infraction Procedure” provides greater specificity to these aforementioned infractions and provides the disciplinary course of action for these infractions:

Infraction Procedure - 1st Offense - 2nd Offense - 3rd Offense
606.11 Failure to notify office of absence. 3 day disciplinary leave of absence. 1 week disciplinary leave of absence Termination

606.08 Falsification or omission of company records. Termination.

606.09 Stealing or failure to report dishonest acts, whether knowledge of such act or plan is obtained directly or indirectly. Termination and Police Report.

71.806 Theft. (1) (a)(b)(c) from the Tribal Criminal Code
A person commits the offense of theft, if he knowingly obtains or exercises control over anything of value of another without authorization, or by threat or deception, or knowing said thing of value to have been stolen; and he (a) intends to deprive such other person permanently of the use or benefit of the thing of value; or (b) knowingly uses, conceals or abandons the thing of value in such a manner to deprive such other person permanently of its use or benefit; or (c) uses, conceals or abandons the thing of value intending that such use, concealment or abandonment will deprive such other person permanently of its use and benefit;

It is my hope that you take this communication seriously and act in the best interest of the Tribe. I realize your employment is “At Will.” However, as Prosecutor, I believe it is your job to adjudicate violators of the Sault Tribe Criminal Code – no matter who violates it. It is a mystery to me as a Tribal Member and an injustice to me as a tax payer that you have not filed any charges to date regarding either of Bernard Bouschor or Fred Paquin’s theft of State, Federal or Tribal property.

If you feel that you cannot prosecute given your position is subordinate to the Sault Tribe Board of Director and ultimately to Bernard Bouschor, I would ask that you request a Special Prosecutor from the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Also, please be reminded there is no statute of limitations in the Sault Tribe Criminal Code for the aforementioned crimes.
Sincerely,

Aaron A. Payment, MPA
Sault Tribe Citizen and U.S. Tax Payer

CC. Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians Board of Directors
The Honorable Jeffery Davis, Assistant U.S. Attorney
The Honorable Lamar Smith, Chair - United States House Committee on the Judiciary
The Honorable Committee Members, United State Senate Indian Affairs Committee
Larry Echohawk, US Department of Interior - Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs

Membership Petition to STOP $18,000 Check to Paquin

2010-12-31T13:44:00.000-08:00

As a Member, you can help stop this madness, through these steps:

Step 1: Act NOW to VOID the $18,000 check to Paquin!
Please sign, circulate & return the enclosed Referendum Petition by the deadline.

We the Members, have a right to overturn this decision via our Tribal Constitutional Right of Referendum. Join with me in sending a clear message to these seven Board members that we are not going to stand for this corruption.

Deadline: Monday – January 17, 2011. Please have Tribal family Members sign the referendum petition and drop it in the mail by this date to ensure I have time to prepare the petitions for submission by the deadline.

Dear Sault Tribe Member:

2010-12-30T01:13:00.000-08:00

In a shocking vote of 7 to 5 on 12-28-10, Bernard Bouschor led Pine, Massaway, Rickley, Eitrem, Abramson & Lana Causley, in voting to give Paquin, former Chief of Police an un-warranted payout of $18,000 just days before he goes to Federal prison. Though former Police Chief Paquin held one of the so-called “Evergreen Contracts”, it stipulates that if convicted of a felony, the contract is null and void. Indeed, on December 15, 2010 Paquin was convicted and sentenced in Federal Court to a felony of fraud and conspiracy; ordered to serve 1 year in jail beginning January 18th; and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of the $231,000 he stole from our Tribe’s Federal grants. Did these Board Members, feeling sorry for Paquin, cut $18,000 check to help offset his restitution? As a Member, you can help stop this madness, through these steps: Act NOW to VOID the $18,000 check to Paquin! Please sign, circulate & return the enclosed Referendum Petition by the deadline. We the Members, have a right to overturn this decision via our Tribal Constitutional Right of Referendum. Join with me in sending a clear message to these seven Board members that we are not going to stand for this corruption. Please Sign the Enclosed Petition to Remove Bouschor from Office Download here

Please sign, circulate & return a Removal Petition to remove Bernard Bouschor.

During the court battle to recover the $2.66 million absconded by Bouschor and defendants in the 7+1 case, Bouschor and others admitted that he received thousands in campaign contributions in violation of our Tribal Election laws.

Copies of the attached evidence include:

1) sworn testimony from an attorney who attests to giving Bouschor thousands of dollars (the limit is $250 per person); 2) a $1,000 check to pay for illegal campaign literature like the “Pink Postcard”, “Michael Jackson Mailer” and the “Mike and Aaron Suck” mailers. Deadline: There is no deadline, but the sooner the better. Please have Tribal family Members sign the removal petition and drop it in the mail with the enclosed referendum petition. Please consider making a contribution to help defray costs. The mailers to gather signatures for the Greek Referendum cost about $800 in postage, advertising, meeting rooms, and Pizzas. Thank you to those who helped to defray these costs. The Tribal Removal code allows for the receipt of donations up to $250 per Tribal Member. Please consider a donation to help defray the costs. All donation amounts will be graciously accepted and legally accounted for. What do you think of the Board's actions? Take my short online, anonymous survey: Click Here for Survey Deadline: Monday – January 17, 2011. Please have Tribal family Members sign the referendum petition and drop it in the mail by this date to ensure I have time to prepare the petitions for submission by the deadline. Respectfully Yours, Aaron Concerned Fellow Tribal Member Address: 1716 Shunk Rd., Sault Ste. Marie, MI 49783 Email: aaronpayment@yahoo.com Blog: http://saulttribeupdates.blogspot.com/ Phone: 906-440-5937

The United States Attorney's Office

2010-12-16T04:03:00.000-08:00

Contact:
MAARTEN VERMAAT
ASSISTANT U.S. ATTORNEY
PHONE: (616) 456-2404

FORMER CHIEF OF POLICE FOR SAULT TRIBE OF CHIPPEWA INDIANS
SENTENCED AFTER PLEADING GUILTY TO CONSPIRACY TO
DERAUD THE UNITED STATES

WEDNESDAY, December 15, 2010 - MARQUETTE, Mich. – Frederick James Paquin, age 53, of St. Ignace, Michigan, and the former Chief of Police for the Sault Tribe of Chippewa Indians, was sentenced to 12 months’ and one day imprisonment to be followed by 2 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $231,785.03 in restitution to the United States of America, U.S. Attorney Donald A. Davis announced today. On July 23, 2010, Paquin had pled guilty to conspiracy to defraud the United States by dishonest means.

The significant sentence handed down today stems from Paquin’s misuse of federal grant funds awarded to the Sault Tribe Police Department between 2002 and 2008. Paquin served as the Sault Tribe Chief of Police from 2007 until October 2008. The federal grants were awarded under the U.S. Department of Justice’s Tribal Resources Grant Program (TRGP) which is administered by the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (hereinafter “the COPS Office”). Grants awarded to the Sault Tribe Police Department under the TRGP were intended to help the Sault Tribe address their most serious unmet financial needs for law enforcement. Paquin unlawfully violated the terms of the federal grants in various ways.

One way of violating the terms of the grants and thwarting their intended purpose was
by obtaining false and fictitious purchase invoices to divert grant funds to accounts held by various vendors with which the Tribal Police Department did business. In short, Defendant created records of purchases that didn’t actually take place. In turn, the Tribe’s Purchasing Department reviewed the paper records of the supposed purchases and then unwittingly paid the vendors for items that were not actually purchased by the Tribal Police Department, thereby creating a credit in the Tribal Police Department’s account to the vendors. Once the grant funds were diverted as credits into these vendor accounts, they were no longer subject to oversight by the Tribal Purchasing Department or the COPS Office. As a result, Defendant could and did use these credits (actually federal taxpayer dollars) in any way he saw fit, without any oversight and in complete violation of the grant terms. In essence, Defendant created a way to funnel federal taxpayer dollars into “slush funds” that only he knew about and controlled.

Defendant used a substantial portion of these illegally obtained and concealed credits to enhance his own status within the Tribe. For example, he used grant funds to purchase an ATV that was to be used for a charitable raffle, but told people that he purchased the ATV with his own money. He also publicly asked vendors to make “donations” to the Tribe’s Junior Police Academy, but authorized them to take money from the Tribal Police Department’s account, which contained diverted grant funds, to make these donations. Defendant also personally and directly benefitted from the grant diversion scheme, such as when he used credits at one vendor to help finance his son in law’s lease of a vehicle or when he used credits to purchase sporting items for his personal use.

Defendant also cheated the TRGP program in other ways. For example, he purchased
items with grant funds that on their face appeared to be for the use of Sault Tribe Police Department but were in fact given away to other organizations in direct violation of the grant terms. Examples include: (1) Motorola radios given to Tribal casinos, (2) Glock handguns given to the Manistique Police Department, (3) defibrillators provided to Tribal casinos and a health club, (4) uniforms given to Tribal casino security officers, and (5) various other items such as flashlights and cameras that were given to other police departments.

As both Tribal Chief of Police and Tribal Board member, Paquin exercised unchecked power within the Tribe and operated the Police Department as his own private fiefdom. Paquin increased his own personal esteem within the Tribe and the broader law enforcement community by illegally dispensing items purchased with grant funds as if they were his own property. He continually resisted all attempts at oversight by Tribal Accounting, and all but prevented the FBI from investigating crimes on Tribal lands. As a result of these illegal activities Paquin was able to divert and wrongfully use grant funds in excess of $300,000.

In addition to the grant fraud set forth above, Paquin also defrauded the Sault Tribe
directly by maintaining his daughter as a full time employee of the Tribe Police Department for almost a year despite the fact that she had left her employment with the Tribe to become a full time student teacher. The ghost employee fraud cost the tribe approximately $43,000 in unearned wages paid to Paquin’s daughter.

In open court Paquin admitted to the full range of his criminal conduct including diverting $242,000 in federal grant funds and having his daughter receive a full time salary when she was not performing work for the Tribe. Paquin went on to apologize to the Tribe, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Court and his family for his criminal conduct.

U.S. Attorney Davis stated: “The respect and confidence that tribal members place in their tribal institutions is dependant upon receiving honest and faithful services from their tribal officials. This office will aggressively pursue and prosecute tribal officials who violate their solemn oath and duties.” Elise Chawaga, Special Agent in Charge for the Office of the Inspector General, Fraud Detection Office, said “the Office of the Inspector General is committed to holding accountable, public officials who betray the trust placed in them by using for personal gain Department of Justice grant funds that were intended to benefit the public.” FBI Special Agent in Charge Andrew G. Arena noted that “these charges are examples of corrupt government officials who have abused their positions for personal gain.” He added that “public corruption is a top criminal priority of the FBI and will not be tolerated. This investigation demonstrates the FBI’s commitment to investigating public corruption on every level and bringing those who betray the public’s trust to justice.”

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of the Inspector General, Fraud Detection Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Maarten Vermaat.

The United States Attorney's Office Link here
END

See what the news is saying about Paquin’s conviction (just click):

U.S. Attorney’s Office:

Marquette Mining Journal:

Escanaba Daily Press:

Indianz.com:

WNMU News:

Easy Rock 100.5:

Bikernews.net:

Detroit Free Press:

Sentencing reports on Fred Paquin

2010-12-13T14:06:00.000-08:00

Government's Sentencing Memorandum
Download PDF file here

Paquins sentencing memorandum
Submitted by Paquin's Attorney, here.

Director Causley, insists that Paquin go back to work immediately...

WE EXCEEDED OUR GOAL!

2010-12-09T03:33:00.001-08:00

Success! We received 339 signatures when only 100 are needed to put this issue [whether or not to do business with the former Greek partner] to a referendum vote of the Sault Tribe Members.

The survey results below suggest some Board Members need to wake up or face being outsted in the next election. A whopping 99% of the respondents [out of over 700] have said they would not re-elect someone who voted for this deal.

RESULTS SO FAR... ADD YOUR VOICE!
Click here to take the survey.

Those Tribal Board Members who voted for this who are up for re-election in 2012 include: Bernard Bouschor, Lana Causley, Pat Rickley, Joe Eitrem and Joe McCoy.

To see a brief power point show, click here. and for the survey slides click here.

RIGHT OF REFERENDUM!

2010-11-22T18:37:00.000-08:00

No money down!
TRIBAL MEMBERS UNITE - EXERCISE YOUR CONSTITUTIONAL

Whether you support a Romulus Casino or not, giving away 26% ownership is just plain stupid! Per the 1988 Indian Gaming Regulatory Act and the 1997 Land Claims Settlement Act, the Sault Tribe has a theoretical opportunity to open a casino in Romulus. Instead of the current deal, however, the Sault Tribe should be able to command that any developer put up the development and construction costs, and be rewarded with no more than 10% for five years only.

A Referendum Petition (( DOWNLOAD HERE ))

Deadline: We have 30 days from enactment on November 9th which puts our deadline to receive signed petitions by say December 6th in order to process the petitions for submittal.

SAULT TRIBE BOARD VOTES UANIMOUSLY TO HOLD DEBRA ANN PINE IN CONFLICT!

2010-07-28T18:14:00.000-07:00

7+1 $2.66 MILLION DOLLAR LAWSUIT PROCEEDS

Greetings!
With Judge Charles Johnson's request to hold a mitigation session today, the Sault Tribe Board of Directors held an official Special Meeting of the Tribe at the Ojibway Ramada Inn in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. The meeting was opened at 9am and concluded by around 4pm. The result?

NO DEAL!

Just as we requested, Tribal Members like you inundated the Tribal Board with input to allow the case to go to Trial. Though half of the Board like Causley, McCoy, and the Bouschor coterie were scared to try to push for a settlement, the others (possibly over half of the 13 Member Board) respected the will of the people to hold these thieves accountable for their actions in stealing nearly $3 million from each and every Elder, man, woman, and child of our Tribe.

Upon opening the meeting, a motion was made by Denise Chase (Unit 4) and seconded by Catherine Hollowell (Unit 2) to conflict out Debra Ann Pine given her mother is listed as a defendant in the case. Recall that Pine's mother and Bouschor's first cousin, Jolene Nertoli stole over $400,000 from the Tribe. The vote was unanimous.

For the record, the Pine family is a good, honest, family and they are my close cousins. Like me, they do not support Debra Ann's strident efforts to defend her mother's actions to steal from her own people.

CHAIRMAN McCOY & VICE CHAIR ATTEMPT TO INDIMIDATE TRIBAL ELDER CHUCK FORGRAVE.

Read for yourself, in his own words [edited for brevity], the confrontation from McCoy and Causley to Tribal Elder Chuck Forgrave. For those of you who do not know, Chuck has long been a Sault Tribe Political Pundit. He is a Tribal Member and has no personal stake in Sault Tribe politics other than as a voting Tribal Member who wishes to bring some integrity into Sault Tribe governance.

Shame on McCoy and Causley for trying to intimidate an Elder. I am extremely proud of Chuck for standing up to these goons. Please take a moment and send chuck and email to show your support.

Chuck's email is: cforgraveus@yahoo.com

'Sault Ste. Marie, Mi...While visiting briefly with Chairman McCoy this afternoon in the lobby of the Ojibway Hotel, HE ATTACKED ME for writing all kinds of stuff about him.

He asked me where I got my information from anyway, cussing and swearing while doing it.

He asked me why I didn't call him if I wanted to talk to him. I asked him if he got my invite to be interviewed, he said no. I explained that it went to the tribe's website as well as his home, and that both emails had gone through. I asked him if he read my emails, he said no. He heard about them from others, he said. I told him he should read them and call me if he has a problem with anything I say. I asked him to give me specific example of where I said something that wasn't the simply truth, and he didn't do it.

Vice Chair Causley came up to me and put her hand out and introduced herself. She said she didn't like the things I wrote about her and asked me why I said the things about her that I did when I didn't even know her. Then she turned and walked off, ignoring my requests for her to come back and talk. She left me with the impression that I had just talked to someone who was acting. Lana Causley and I have known one another for years. Her daughter and mine hung out together.

Oh well, talk about fun. Is there any hope, given the characters that we citizens have representing us. Sometimes, I don't think there is.

Thank you, Charles Forgrave'
Today the news was good! Thanks again for caring enough about your Tribe to stay informed even when the news is not good.

Aaron A Payment
Possible Candidate for 2012

Sault Tribe Board about to Drop $2,660,000 Case

2010-05-15T03:23:00.000-07:00

Greetings!
On Tuesday - May 18, 2010 the Sault Tribe Board will hold a secret closed door meeting to discuss settling with Bouschor letting him off the hook for the $2,600,000 he stole from each and every member of our Tribe. Where's the meeting? At the Ojibway hotel in the Sault. Was this done to limit the number of Members who can attend? Why is there a settlement conference happening at all? This already happened in 2007. We have all but won the case with positive legal rulings at the lower court, appellate court, and MI Supreme Court levels. With how close we are to winning, only a corrupt Board can mess it up now.

With a legal opinion obtained by the Tribe that proves that Bouschor was not eligible to run in 2008, the Board is unwilling to do anything about it. They argue that they are listening to the voters. Well what about the 74% across all voting units who said no to Bouschor. The Tribal Constitution stipulates that referendums are final and binding. What part of that doesn't the Board understand?

In the 2010 Tribal elections there are several candidates who are working directly with Bouschor to increase the number of Board members who will vote to throw out the $2.66 million litigation. Those candidates are commonly believe to be:

Denny McKelvie -DJ Hoffman -Debbie Pine -Lisa Burnside -Shirley Petoskey

Can you really risk voting for any of the above and have them vote to erase Bouschor's $2.66 liability? Can we afford to find out? Debbie Pine is Jolene Nertoli's daughter. Remember - Jolene stole $455,000 from every man, woman, child, and elder of this Tribe. Her ancestors would be ashamed! Did Debbie shelter this money by laundering it into her husband's animal clinic or bar in Brimely. Debbie claims to be holier than thou but serves alcohol to Tribal members she calls drunks!

Call a Tribal Board Member to insist they stand our ground! Protect our future. Draw the line in the sand. If the thieves who stole your money are let off the hook, what's to stop someone else from doing the same. Let's send a clear message and hold accountable those who would steal from their own people.

Board Cell # Home #
Unit 1------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dennis 440-3932 632-7267
Cathy 440-7613 635-3054
Joe 440-5728 632-8567
DJ Hoffman 322-3801
Unit 2------------------------------------------------------------
Lana 440-5726 484-2954
Bob L. 440-7741 493-5311
Unit 3------------------------------------------------------------
Keith Massaway 643-6981
Pat Rickley ?
Unit 4------------------------------------------------------------
Denise Chase 440-7647 341-6783
Tom Miller 440-5737 644-2527
Unit 5------------------------------------------------------------
Shirley Petoskey 322-3803 387-2101

Aaron A. Payment, MPA
Fellow Tribal Member

Results of Sault Tribe Membership Poll:

2010-02-24T14:23:00.000-08:00

Will the Tribal Board Listen to the People?

Click HERE to complete the survey yourself:

Download printable copy here.

REFERENDUM PETITION DRIVE: 2010-33

2010-02-09T11:18:00.001-08:00

REFERENDUM PETITION DRIVE: 2010-33
[petition attached for you to sign and return - see instructions below]

To add your name to the attached petition which will afford you the Sault Tribe Member Constitutional right to vote to approve or disapprove of the Board actions to raise the top paid employees: Just print out the attached form, sign your name, print your name, and write in your address in the section under 'Signatures of Eligible Voters.' Do not write above this section. Then mail this petition to me at: Aaron A. Payment, 1716 Shunk Road, Sault Ste. Marie, MI 49783).

HERE IS THE ISSUE: On Tuesday - February 2, 2010, with a majority of the Board voting, the Board passed resolution 2010-33 to give pay adjustments to a select group of people for a total cost of $700,000!

At a time when:

* Most lower level staff in the Tribe have not received a pay increase since Chairperson Payment left office;
* Our Elders received a pay cut on their annual dividend of nearly 66% or $1,000;
* Sault Tribe college student scholarships were slashed from 800 a year to just 200;
* The Membership funeral assistance was cut for all but the very low income and reduced by 33%;
* The Tribal Board pay has remained the same while the Tribal Board meetings have been cut in 1/2....

....it seems extravagant to increase the pay of those who are already the highest pay and wealthiest employees of the Sault Tribe. The vast majority of these folks are non-Tribal people.

CAPITALISM AND FAIR MARKET VALUE?

Don't confuse this issue with increasing the wealthiest of Sault Tribe employees with anti-capitalism. You have to pay folks what they are worth and what the market will bear. The higher-ups in the medical staff within Sault Tribe employment, however,

* Do not work the hours that outside doctors do (30 versus 60 hours a week);
* They do not deal with emergent care situations;
* They do not have hospital privileges for continuity of care during hospitalizations;,
* They are usually working off students loans from the federal government that require that they work for a tribe;
* They are allowed time during the work day to do charts and during this time, are not seeing patients.

The truth of the matter is that several of the medical staff have been complaining for years that they are not paid well enough and have threatened to leave to work elsewhere. The reality is that if they were worth the extra pay, they should take outside jobs so we could then recruit and hire Sault Tribe members who have earned medical degrees but continually get passed over for jobs. One Sault Tribe Member doctor, left employment as her pay level continuously lagged behind that of non-Natives at our clinics. Currently, I do not know of any Sault Tribe members who work as doctors in our clinics.

CHRONOLOGY OF THIS ISSUE:

1996 - Upon first elected to the Sault Tribe Board, Unit 1 Board Member Payment noticed some serious irregularities in the way Sault Tribe employees received raises. Where the casino manager's three sons all received greater than 20% raises, most employees received an average raise of 3.5%. Two of these individuals sit on the Tribal Election Committee and are Director Cathy Abramson's nephews and Director Hoffman's first cousins;

1997 - Unit 1 Board Member Payment, proposed an overhaul in how wage and salary policy was conducted to ensure that employees received at least a minimum raise to keep pace with the cost of living while setting a maximum raise of 5% for the top employees, if the maximum was set at 5% for the lowest paid employees;

1998 - Bouschor commissions and outside study by Arthur Anderson (remember them with the corruption scandals with Enron?). It was no surprise that the results told Bouschor what he wanted to hear - "Pay the top people, including himself, even more."

2000 - Bouschor then commissions a second study by BGI Inc. to do another study to try to boost the top paid folks even more. They came back with a set of recommendations which held the top pay at bay, while recommending the lower paid staff be increased. Instead of raising the lower paid folks, Bouschor set an average raise amount for budgeting purposes and put a performance based system in place;

2003 - Vice Chairperson Payment introduces a resolution to redistribute the budgeted pay amounts for the top paid employees to increase the percent increase for the lowest paid employees. Bouschor fights this as many of his campaign supporters and immediately family are the highest paid employees in the Tribe - including himself at $245,000 for Chairperson/CEO then at $800,000 as COO of Greektown Casino;

2004 - Before leaving office and stealing $2.66 million to pay 7 of his closest friends, Bouschor also adjusted a select group of employees to receive huge increases including several who were paid out severances. No market study was done and no justification provided. Did he do this to fraudulently increase the annual raises of those he then gave unwarranted severances to in order to ensure they received a greater payout? At Chairperson Payment's suggestion, those individuals who received unjustified adjustments were put back to their old pay level which saved the Tribe $300,000 annually;

2004 - The Payment administration establishes a Wage and Salary committee comprised of a variety of employees including lower level wage earners. The committee recommends to the board to adopt a 'decremental' pay increase system whereby the lowest paid employees received 7% increases the first year, while the highest paid received 1% and the middle employees received between a 6% to a 2% raise as their annual income went up. This proposal was self contained and did not cost more money than what was already budgeted;

2006 - After much complaining by the highest paid and wealthiest paid employees in the Tribe, the Tribal Board caved and granted larger increases for the top paid employees at the expense of the lower paid employees. Thus, those over $100,000 received 2% raises so the lower paid employees were dropped back down to 5% raises;

2009 - After the current Tribal Administration took over, the lowest paid employees report that they have not received increases at all while Bernard Bouschor publishes an article in the Sault Tribe News that announces big raises were coming for the higher paid medical staff.

2010 - A majority of the Board votes to give the highest paid employees a huge raise in the amount of tens of thousands of dollars. The total costs? $700! Reports indicate that the Medical Director was raised from $150,000 annually to $180,000. The dentist rose from $140,000 to $160,000!

Sault Tribe Member Poll:

2010-02-07T15:48:00.000-08:00

{CLICK HERE} to open an Adobe Acrobat file, It shows the results from an on-line poll of Sault Tribe Members. The results are based on 300 responses. Note: The sample was not randomly drawn and is not representative of the total population.

If you would like to complete the survey (CLICK HERE)

Proposal to save 400,00.00 and create greater tribal board accountably, to be presented

2010-02-02T10:39:00.001-08:00

After several months of planning and careful deliberations, a proposal reviewed by elders from ALL 5 units (Sault, St. Ignace, Hessel, Naubinway, Newberry, Manistique, Escanaba, Marquette and Munising) will be presented at the tribal board meeting on Tuesday night (2-2-2010) to do the following:

1) Cut the Board and Chairperson pay from $67,000 and $100,000 to $30,000 and $50,000 - this will save the Tribe $410,000 immediately;

2) Set Term Limits to 2 X 4 year terms;

3) Set a Dress Code for the Board;

4) Establish a Tribal Board job description;

5) Require the Board to comply with Sault Tribe Constitution for writing Unit Reports monthly;

6) Doc the Board pay for meetings they miss;

7) Require the board have a miniminal level of understanding of their job so they can answer questions when asked;

8) Eliminate Board retirement and replace with option for Board to pay into a 401K
As always, for the latest in the Sault Tribe Updates, click on the attached link…

CHECK BACK HERE TO SEE THE OUTCOME.

Also, I am now on Facebook. Look me up.
Thanks.

Escrow Bouschor’s Pay NOW!

2010-02-02T10:02:00.001-08:00

If you would like to access the Evening News front page article today reporting on the MI Supreme Court judgment against Bouschor, click on the following link … CLICK HERE

With the Court reinstating the malpractice complaint, it is possible that we may qualify for up to 3 times the amount Bouschor stole. That’s nearly $ 8 million! The court also found that Bouschor did not have ‘Executive Immunity’ which creates a direct line of liability for Bouschor.
What do you think? Post your comments in response to this post or post a comment on the Evening News site.

At least a few Tribal Board members (DJ Hoffman, Cathy Abramson) do not support continuing the litigation to recover the Tribe’s money. Dennis McKelvie and Lana Causley have both suggested we are wasting our money in this suit. Your input is important and critical at this juncture. Sound off.

Escrow Bouschor’s Pay NOW! Given the Tribe is most likely going to be in a position of collections from Bouschor, shouldn’t the Board escrow his Board pay immediately so when we win the case, we’ll at least recover that amount? Let me know what you think.

Outstanding News for the Sault Tribe Membership!

2010-01-28T20:27:00.000-08:00

Download Printable version here:

Dear Fellow Tribal Members:

Great News! We have all but won our case against Bouschor and others who took $2.66 million dollars from us in 2004. Please see the information below and attached to see how close we are to not only recovering the money they took but also potentially up to nearly $ 8 million and legal fees! With the favorable judgment for the Tribe (below and attached), Bouschor will likely also be found to have committed an act of theft or dishonesty in the eyes of the Michigan Gaming Control Board, and will therefore be denied a MI Gaming License. When this happens, according to our own Tribal statues, he will be automatically removed from the Sault Tribe Board. No Tribal Board vote is necessary. (download Supreme court ruling here)

When we receive the final judgment in this case, I propose that we lower the Board and Chairperson salaries to half of the current amount to save another $400,000 and use this windfall, to:

* Replenish the Elder Fund to reinstate the $1,600 per Elder amount I originally proposed and gained approval for in 2003;
* Increase the number of Tribal college student scholarships from 200 back up to 800 per year when I was Chairperson;
* Use the balance to tighten our finances and look for ways to benefit middle class Tribal Members who usually get left behind.

Given I have a large email database, it cost about $225 each time I send out a mass email to Tribal Members. If you would like to help with these costs, please send me an email with the subject: DONATE, and I will respond with information about how to do so. Remember, this is not an election expense so your name does not have be reported as an election expense. You do not have to donate to continue to receive updates but every little bit helps.

Also, as I realize no one wants to be inaundated with email messages, I will only use this medium sparingly. If you would like more frequent information, please feel free to visit my web by clicking on the following.

I will be updating information as I hear things. There are a few big cases in front of us and the Greektown bankruptcy proceeding that will determine our future for years to come. Thank you for being interested enough to receive these updates or to visit my blogspot for information.

With Respect and Warm Regards,

Aaron A. Payment, MPA
Former Chairperson and Tribal Board Member

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Board refuses to terminate Fred Paquin even after an arrest, arraignment and 16 federal criminal indictments.

A Tribal Member asked the Tribal Board at the January 26th meeting of the Tribal Board of Directors what Fred Paquin's employment status was now that he has been arrested and arraigned on 16 federal criminal indictments. The Board's response was that:

Paquin continues to be employed and is only on suspension!

Last fall, the Board voted to eliminate the Tribal evergreen employment contracts as they are considered invalid due to a court ruling. Nonetheless, though the Tribal Board voted to repeal the termination appeals policy in July of 2008 and allow the current administration to fire over 150 employments (90% being Tribal members) they will still not act to terminate Fred Paquin after criminal arrests and prosecutions by the MI Attorney General, the BIA, FBI and currently the U.S. Attorney's office. Members deserve to know why!

------------------------------------------------------------
Download printable version here:

Media Release for Immediate Release
January 29, 2010

MI Supreme Court Rules in Favor of Plaintiff – Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians
In case of Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians v.
Bernard Bouschor; and Miller Canfield, Paddock and Stone, P.L.C.; Daniel T. Green; Paul W. Shagen; Joseph M. Paczkowski; David E. Scott; Jolene M. Nertoli; James M. Jannetta; Daniel J. Weaver, jointly and severally
C/A CASE NO.: 276712 – L/C CASE NO.: 04-7606-CC

Lansing, MI – Today, the Michigan Supreme Court ruled in favor of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians in the so-called 7+1+1 case which was originally filed in Chippewa County (50th Circuit Court) but presented to Judge Charles Johnson, 57th Circuit Court, in Emmet County as visiting judge when Judge Lambros recused himself. At the lower court level, Judge Johnson ruled back in 2007, that the defendants were not terminated, that Bouschor did not have the authority to grant severances (in the amount exceeding $2.66 million), and that contrary to Bouschor’s claim, Bouschor did not hold ‘executive immunity’ a status typically held for State Governors or the President of the United States. This latter filing by Bouschor is what qualified the defendants for an automatic appeal in the Michigan Court of Appeals and has delayed the case since the initially filing in 2004. At that level, the MI Court of Appeals threw out the legal malpractice and conspiracy claim. The MI Supreme Court’s ruling today reinstates the Sault Tribe’s complaint with regard to malpractice and may qualify the Sault Tribe for injunctive relief to recover not only the amount Bouschor and defendants conspired to take on election night of 2004, but also ‘treble damages’ which is up to three times the amount. Given the Tribe filed jointly and severally, once a final judgment is granted (possibly via a summary disposition given there now appear to be no facts in dispute) there may not even be a need to go to trial at the district court level. Judge Johnson could, instead, rule in the Tribe’s favor and award damages and legal fees. In the Supreme Court’s ruling, the justices ruled that Bernard Bouschor did not have executive immunity and as such, reinforced Judge Johnson’s earlier ruling that Bouschor is individually liable in this case. If Judge Johnson does not grant a summary disposition judgment, the case will go to trial in the 50th Circuit Court with Judge Johnson presiding as visiting judge. In a prepared statement, former Chairperson Aaron Payment said,
“With all of the legal wrangling by Bouschor and the defendants over the last 5 ½ years, it is no wonder tribal members are dispirited. The rulings by the MI Supreme Court and the prosecution of Paquin give tribal members hope that the rule of law will prevail and justice will be served. Those who would steal from their own people, need to be held accountable. Maybe 2010 will be the year of tribal justice.

DOWNLOAD SUPREME COURT RULING HERE

"Listen to what people are saying about Fred Paquin's Arrest and Federal Indictments"...

2010-01-27T08:30:00.000-08:00

add your comments: Here

Comments:

Every one of the Board Members should have kept this and many other past and current corrupt activities from happening. They are all like a bunch of cats covering their own dirt.

Clear the board and elect new members who have no tie to this bunch.

That is the best thing ever!!! That just made my New Year. Have fun with Bubba Fred!

For those of you shocked by this story, we (tribal members) have been trying to let the world know about the corruption that exists at the Sault Tribe. But no one believed us (at times including this paper) and the Sault Tribe is protected by tribal sovereignty. While I am all for tribal sovereignty, I am not for it when it is abused..

I hope Fred reveals more information about illegal activities at the Sault Tribe over the last few decades. I hope the corrupted individuals who remain in power are caught and punished.

Sault Tribe members can thank former Sault Tribe board member Todd Gravelle for reporting this to the FBI while he was in office. This was the first time I am aware of that a board member form the Sault was charged with corruption. We hope this action will begin a movement among the Sault Tribe members to give our tribe back to the people and not allow a few corrupted individuals to ruin it for everyone.

And to think the City of Saint Ignace was going to hire him as their police chief two nights ago. Anyone wanna bowl...2 for 1 nite at felony lanes

Nathan you are so full of it!!!!!! We all know what a great law abiding citzen Gravelle is. I know that Mr. Paquin is not alone in all of this. Toobadthe FBI doesn't investigate all the Upper people at the tribe then maybe it wouldn't be going down the drain!!!!! Would love to see them get what they ALL deserve.

We are only scratching the surface, much more to follow.

You can bet there are more than 2 peas in the Tribal POD. Will they get out of BED with each other now!

I have to agree with you citizenfedup; while I understand that Nathan is trying to save face and possibly vie himself or Todd Gravelle into a postion of elect, I have often thought that a complete investigation of all people in 'power' over the tribe should be done. This corruption on part of Fred Paquin is only the tip of the ice berg so to speak. As an employee of the tribe myself and others see and hear more of this than most everyday. I understand that rumors are just that but when a rumor is repeated often enough it becomes truth. Unfortunately our tribe and it's reputation has suffered greatly in the past number of years because of ongoing corruption, dirty politics and people placed in positions that have no qualifications or training. I think a good 'ole' fashioned' shake-up is exactly what we need to help start to repair what was damaged.

Todd might not be the worlds most perfect person but you have to give the guy some credit for not being scared of these very powerful people and for exposing them.

I dont know many people that would have the balls to do such a thing.

And look where it got him? Booted off the Board and out of a job!

Also, last I heard Todd is not in jail, he is living a blissful life corruption free.

For those who think that this investigation omitted ANYONE in the top, middle or lower ranks, I submit that this investigation has been ongoing for well over a year and a half. Do you really think that the FBI was unable to obtain any and all information that MR. Paquin had in his grasp? Mr. Paquin would have surely spilled his guts and attested to every dirty little thing he was privy to. The only person for whom I have some sympathy is his assistant Hope, who was implicated as a coconspirator. Her complicity in the matter was, I'm sure, a matter of retaining her employment under the direct supervision and direction of Chief Paquin.

Is there more corruption to be unveiled? Undoubtably so. One can only hope that all of the cards will be fanned out on the table for all the membership to see and that each and every one who has taken advantage of their Tribal position for self gain or any other purpose will be brought into the light of day. Perhaps this is just what the doctor ordered to dethrone the sitting despots who continue to feather their nests while the members struggle to keep their heads above water! And to quiet those who have long bashed anyone who was brave enough to announce that the there was a problem with the way the Tribe was being run for the past 15 years. Finally someone listened as it was exclaimed...The Emperor has no clothes!

I hope the rest of the United States is paying attention to this. This set of directors as well as many before them have squandered tribal monies for there own benefit. It wasn't enough though, they also needed to apply for and recieve additional funding from the government. As I write this there are monies that US Taxpayers have donated to fund this three ring circus being squandered. I hope that this tribe is not allowed to request further funding for any reason until they can clean up their mess and show some accountabilty to the government, but more importantly to tribal members.

Three indictments so far and hopefully many more to come. Todd G had a problem with the booze but he has moved on and is doiing well. Anyone who is trashing him is just upset by what happened to their friend and what is going to happen next. Goodbye Fred...you should be put away for the rest of your life and all your possessions should be turned over to the tribe to be sold.

I wouldn't turn anything over to the tribe. Can you name one person that you trust to do the right thing with a dime right now?

Full of what? Are you denying Todd reported this to the FBI? Did you need a refresher?

Ok, here are two articles regarding this matter that appeared in the St. Ignace news.

Article #1
'tribal board member Todd Gravelle, has called in federal investigators in response to an anonymous e-mail Mr. Gravelle received that alleged 'budgetary improprieties' in the police department'
http://www.stignacenews.com/news/2008-05-15/News/Fred_Paquin_Faces_2nd_Suspension.html

Article #2
'Unit 1 representative Todd Gravelle cast the lone dissenting vote and told The St. Ignace News he believes there is sufficient evidence against Mr. Paquin in the assault case to fire him. He said the board should have discussed and voted on whether Mr. Paquin should be terminated, not just on who had authority to hire and fire.'
http://www.stignacenews.com/news/2007-11-22/News/Tribal_Board_Retains_Police_Chief.html

Todd was not afraid to stand up to corruption. Todd has stood up to corruption in the Sault Tribe more than anyone else. I commend his actions on this issue. If you are against corruption in the Sault Tribe, so should you. More to come.

Good day (and thank you very much).

this is par for the course with the tribe. exactly why i passed on an opportunity to work for them, and i'm a member. corruption, greed, nepotism, narcissistic behaviors abound, that's the tribe! and for redwinger, i'm sure hope knew exactly what she was doing, breaking the law, with her 'holier than thou', 'my poop doesn't stink' attitude. 'i did it to save my job' is an extremely weak defense!!!!!!!!!! i'm laughing!!!!!!!!!!!

Political corruption is the use of legislated powers by government officials for illegitimate private gain.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_corruption

The tribal crooks are hating Todd Gravelle right now. Todd had more guts than anyone in the tribe. Weigh a drunk driving against bringing a thieving police chief to justice. Paquin is looking at 60 years and he will be taking others with him. Finally....the clean sweep we have been waiting a long time for. We aren't going to forget who supported Paquin or those tribal board members who tried to keep him on as director, police chief and then tried to make him CEO of Greektown. The former Chairman, Aaron Payment tried more than once to fire Paquin but the board kept putting him back to work. Those directors will now answer for this.

they are all useless

CrankyMomma...that's hilarious...Fast Freddie is a good man...

Can't wait to see just how interesting this will get! Let's say Freddie is offered a really good deal on a plea deal in exchange for his cooperation in this investigation and perhaps he will offer up more information on other illegal activities going on within the Sault Tribe government, because of course he shouldn't take the rap alone, right? Maybe not though, maybe Freddie will take the heat alone because he is a good man and wants to spare his friends from being prosecuted. Somebody better lock down the Tribe, because I bet a lot of people are doing some cleaning up in their own backyard and making plans on what they are going to do when they are questioned.

Another weird thing? No public comment from the Chairman? Where is Joe McCoy? Shouldn't he say something? He's being awfully quiet...hmmm. Do I hear a shredder?

Ok, I don't live there now, but I did live in the area for about 10 years and some of these names are familiar, and some are not. I don't have any idea either way who is guilty of what. But from my outside (non-tribal) opinion, all Mr Paquin did was what the white man did so many years ago. Sleight of hand to get what he wanted for his people. But that's just my opinion.

Freddy Boy is going to sing like a Bird. Everyone of you folks that broke the
Tribe .......LOOK OUT. He's gonna sing like a bird alright.... A JAIL BIRD! Bet a few of you folks are getting a little nervous now. Don't think Freddy Boy is gonna take everything on his own! What goes around comes around!

Leave Fred alone??????? What a joke!!! It's about time!!! There are way to many Tribal people struggling to support their familys, working for some two bit paying job in the Tribe while these hot shots are pocketing OUR money!! I HOPE he snitches them all out trying to save his butt!

I read the 47 page indictment...very interesting. Spanned numerous years 2002-2008. It was a good run and it's over, but I'm pretty sure the the scrutiny isn't over. All the shredders in the world can't help where this whole thing might be going. The men in black don't tip their hand. Their eyes and ears have been everywhere for the last year and a half. I hope that Fred doesn't take the heat alone. If he rolls like a carp in the river, then it will just expedite the inevitable. Circumstance, Chance and Choice..... Fred had these in the past and he will have them in the future.

to leavefredalone...you have got to be kidding. Fred giving back to the people?! He stole hunders of K's from the tribe and its members to benefit himself..Good man? Many, many would disagree with that and for more reasons than he was indicted for. Even those who worked under him when he was police chief have been waiting for this day and are celebrating Fred's arrest. Anyone that supports a criminal like Fred (who is also an embarrassment to the many honest police officers) has a screw loose. It's no wonder the corruption was accepted for so long...too many benefitted from it....sickening when so many others do without. Two big paychecks weren't enough for him....he wanted it all.

No I dont have a screw loose, you dont even know me, just like you dont know Fred. But yet you want to cast a stone! you should be ashamed of YOURSELF! and how do you know what the people that worked under him would say? are you related to one of them to have this personal knowledge? or just a really good friend.................

And the wash is hanging out for everyone to see. Humm..I wonder who or who are the next to be line dried? I agree with a couple of people here. One- it's about time this corruption was put to an end. Making 70 K here and 100K there, and then taking more on top? Thats just plain GREED. Yes, who helped with the obstruction of justice during Fred's scandal, will surely be sad they made that move.. Maybe this will be the shake down the Sault Tribe Membership has been looking for. Maybe this shake down will result in a new Board of Directors with a new start and a new vision for the future. One could hope :) Good Night All.

Thousands scheduled to attend Pat Down Paquin Party which will be held simultaneously with Paquin Pity Party. It is not known if anyone will show their face at the latter.

I hope all of you realize that the scope of an investigation such as this broadens as it is being investigated. If others are to be singled out as frauds and embezzlers, it will take time to build each case individually. Can anyone imagine the amount of forensic accounting that would need to be done to expose the level of corruption we are talking about here? How many decades will they have to go back to find all the inconsistencies? this process, if they should continue, will take years. I truly hope that all things wrong with the tribe are exposed and all parties properly punished, but I understand the reality of things all too well. In any event, the tribe still loses, and that is the bottom line.

Whoever headed up securty at the Casino might just have to answer up. I certainly would have asked where all the uniforms and equipment were coming from. I wonder how many vendors beyond the ones named are holding credits for the tribe. Any other relatives out there receiving credit toward purchaes?

As one person stated to me, it's the proverbial 'can of worms'. With each piece of evidence comes another new development to be examined. This is the tip of the iceberg and its infested with worms.

So nice of Fred to take his daughter down with him. Maybe he will have enough balls to take a few more down with him as well. Sad that making that much money wasn't enough. Greed is a powerful thing. Every scammer I know is just like Fred....nice, helps people blah blah blah. The best scammers are great at putting on a good act, don't you think that is why they are called scammers? Todd was the only brave one to speak up, Yea Todd. Drugs and alcohol have gotten a hold of many, many people, more than you would probably ever guess. Right now I can bet that alcoholism or drug addiction has affected someone in your family or someone you know. We have a few drinkers on the board right now that are setting a horrible example. Alcohol is just the last LEGAL drug. Fred gets the #1 scammer of the decade award.

The Tribe lost there way along time ago! Growing up native american in this area over my life time was never easy. I always thought growing up your people were different in the ways we take care of our own! But in the last say 15 to 20 years. Its not been that way with this TRIBE of so called native americans! PEOPLE that gave there intire lifes to this tribe'TRIBLE MEMBERS' Have been fired after 15 to 20 years of serves! These are people that have kids to feed and a house to pay for! And why! Because of there last name or the color of there skin! So to hear that freddy had his hand in the fry bread bowl! doesnt surprize me! And what ever happens from hear on out to the tribe! SO BE IT!!!!! as far as todd goes the Q ya need to ask yourself? would you let your child go visit todd's at his house? i dont think so!!!!! he should have been dissbard! Nathan nobody cares what you have to say! save your B.S for the election year guy. What is the real sad thing about the hole messed up thing is that freddy was a role mold to a lot of kids in our tribe. and thats a true shame.
sault member.

$70,000+ Board Salary
$115,000+ Chief of Police Salary
$21,000 Daughters wages(as she did nothing to earn it)
Thousands of Dollars of Grant Monies

Watching the FBI arrest him and his Daughter......'PRICELESS'

Those of you placing Fred on such a high pedestal better check yourselves. How much STOLEN tribal and federal money did he give to all of you to buy your friendship and loyalty? Sure, Fred was very financially supportive to the City of St. Ignace and to all of his supporters only because the money was not his to give. Do you really think anyone really would have benefited if he was a moral and honest man? I dont think so. None of you have lived and breathed how corrupt this man really is. He and his daughter, Mary Princess Cullen are finally getting exactly what they deserve. That entire family should be behind bars, including that arrogant son-in-law of Freds. They are all so quick to throw stones and point fingers at everyone else. Id like to see them get out of the mess that they have created all on their own! They only have themselves to blame this time. Yes, Im sure there is a lot more Tribal corruption that should be looked into but for this one moment lets let Fred and Mary have their day in the spotlight!!! What goes around comes around and Im enjoying every minute of this!

'The first Tribal Chairperson was Bernard Bouchard' NOT!! leavefredalon, you need to get your facts straight! Fred Hatch was the first Chairman and Joe Lumsden after that. Bernard owned into the position when we lost Joe! And Bernard didn't marry into the tribe, he IS native and married a non-native!
And so the story goes... down hill from there....

I think the Fred supporters should just cool their jets. It's fine that he's been a friend, but the true character of a man comes out during the darkest hours AND is defined when you think nobody is looking. He is a thief and a hypocrite. He was employed to uphold the law and instead he stole for himself and his family for personal gain. The facts, whether he's an amazing friend or not, is he is a corrupt thief, his daughter is a teacher, whom I hope is NOT teaching those children right and wrong as she has no idea what that is, and his son-in-law is a cop. So who is there to trust in that family? I just hope Mary wasn't stealing her students lunch money to get her hair done. And I think it's hilarious that people would even feel bad for Mary because her dad's' bringing her down with him'. She's an adult and she cashed those checks. They have had everything handed to them while others try desperately and can't make ends meet. The saddest thing of all is Mary's children will be without a mother for some amount of time, but in this case it might be worth it. Someone needs to instill good morals and values into the young ones so they don't end up trash like their parents.

To RockaFella

WELL said!
My hat's off to the FBI! Work well done!

I'm sure this is only the tip of the brown iceberg as far as corruption goes, as there are likely few current or past board members that should have a clean conscience. I bet Mr. Paquin really IS a nice guy at times, hell I'm sure Mussolini had his nice moments, but that doesn't matter if the evidence against him sticks. I just hope this or any other investigation proves to help the tribe, not hurt it, and not leave things in the crappy state they are. Anyway, how does someone assume Bernard 'Bouchard' (did his name really change?) was married into the tribe?... look at the guy, he's obviously Native. Not that that would totally discount his marrying in, but that DOES make it look unlikely. I really like these forums, since they are a good way for our locals to interact and discuss local issues, but please people... if you have no clue about what you're saying, or if your spelling makes you sound only slightly smarter than Joe Dirt... just read it.

I understand after years and even decades of political corruption, some find it difficult to accept. Some even try to justify Fred's actions. Some don't want to hear the truth. Which should concern every one and make one ask, what sort of community do we live in where corruption is justified?

Lets not use the word Robin Hood. In the fable story Robin Hood stole from the rich and gave to the poor. Only the few corrupt became rich in our tribe, the majority are poor. So there is no Robin Hood here.

Didnt St. Ignace hire (or where about to hire) Fred as Chief of Police of St. Ignace? And they knew he was under federal investigation. What does that say about their council? Can any leader in the UP be bought? Is this something you think people should be proud of?

One sure sign of corruption, when leaders or people tell you there is nothing wrong, people like Todd are crazy. Todd was not crazy. Todd took out many corrupt council members. And yes, I guess he pissed some people off because of this. But I would rather see someone do the right thing. Than DO NOTHING to win votes. Thats what is happening now. People on the council are too afraid to do the right thing because they will lose votes. Well is that leadership? Or is that someone just collecting a check?

Regardless of Todd's personal problems for a brief moment in his life. To even attempt to put him in the same light as Fred is absurd and ridiculous. Those doing this are certainly part of the elite members of the Sault Tribe who continue corruption. Sadly, Fred probably learned how to do this type of deception from someone still on the board.

Todd, never stole from the tribe, and I commend him for this action. And I hope others are brave, like Todd. Todd stood against and army and won. Say what you say, but it is what it is. You cannot change history. Todds actions should be a wakeup call to all of those in Indian Country. Do the right thing for your people, not for yourself. Todd doing the right thing cost him the election. But he stands on the right side of history..

I will stand on the right side of history any day, even if the current popular opinion differs from mine (however in this forum the majority of opinions all agree, what Fred did was wrong). I know in the long run people will come to understand what I and others have been fighting against. And that is corruption in the Sault Tribe.

nativepride68, I agree with you, the Sault Tribe did lose its way long ago. Do you think its going to be easy for those of us to bring that back? Obviously not. But we continue to believe. Maybe people need to rethink who the heroes really are? Maybe they are not the ones they thought. Maybe the real heroes of the Sault Tribe are the ones who dont have a lot of money, but have a lot of passion. A passion for their people. A passion to see equality throughout the Sault Tribe. Ones who make sacrifices of themselves for the betterment of their people. Ones who have a passion to end corruption.

Yep, to say that someone with the disease of addiction is as reprehensible as one who steals thousands from a group of unknowing people, is stupid (or biased) at best.

This stuff is cracking me up!!!! I thought Fred was a very nice guy but regardless of who did what, he got caught and will pay for it and it should set an example for others now working for the tribe to be honest Not saying it's going to happen but it couldn't hurt. Karma will get you in the end!!

'The first Tribal Chairperson was Bernard Bouchard' lmao!!! Yep.....that's why we have JKL day!!! Lol

Todd Gravelle never took a dime that didn't belong to him. Unlike at least one board member who burned through thousands of free concert tickets (free because he helped himself), Todd didn't accept beyond the allowable amount. not for anyone or for any reason. The same for Aaron Payment...didn't even take the discount at Midjims and still lives in the same house he lived in for most of his life. There have been some good honest leaders but questionable elections, as witnessed by many, eliminated the most honest leaders from helping the tribe fight the corruption. That is all about to change because we are not done yet.

Well first things first he is a crook. I don't know how this guy lasted in Law Enforcement as long as he did. And some of the lies that he told are comical at the least. For example he left for a week balding and came back with a hair peace and said it is the way he combs his hair. Ha and don't even get me started on the bald Sherlock Holmes..

Well you probably heard one thing that was ordered by Fast Freddie that is still missing is the soap on a rope that was ordered in bulk. If anyone has any idea where it is contact Fred because he is desperately looking for it, cause he is gonna need it.

I have known Fred for many, many years, since childhood, went through school together, etc. etc. and I can attest to crimes he has committed against women alone from school years to the present but somehow has always managed to come out smelling like a rose. Imagine just for a minute one of his victims was your daughter, wife, mother or sister; would you still think Fred is such a nice guy, always getting 'accused' of such terrible things, he would never do that, he has done such great things for our community?! Maybe soon all women near and far will be able to rest a little easier having such a monster off the streets even if it isn't for the brutality he committed against some poor woman.

All the comments above about him not being alone in all this is probably right to some degree but I know for a fact he never in his life ever needed a 'push' or a 'partner in crime' to do the wrong thing.

His character and actions were well in place and deep seated long before he ever knew Bernard Bouchard or worked for the Sault Tribe!
These new charges are just a drop in the bucket for all the wrong he has committed over the past several years. As the saying goes, 'what comes around goes around' it was just a matter of time!

I have always said Fred should have been a politician as he is one of the best at convincing people he is some one that he is not. Unfortunately he has successfully 'snowed' most of the St. Ignace community for years into actually believing all the previous and I'm sure the present allegations are only a pathetic attempt to attack him. How could those of you actually believe he has always been falsely accused; over and over again??
As for the ridiculous comments from 'leavefredalone' who are you? Certainly makes you wonder just exactly what has he done for you??!! You have absolutely no idea what kind of man you are defending or is it that maybe you do? I suppose you also support Bernard Bouchard for our next Tribal Chairman! 'Peas in a Pod'! Wake up and open your eyes 'leavefredalone'!

Congrats to the Soo on having their own Kwame.

Now that Mrs. Mary Cullen has faced arraignment in Federal Court for all sorts of embezzlement & fraud from monies received from the Sault Tribe & the US government, let's seriously consider her husband, Rich Cullen, presently a sworn patrol officer with the St. Ignace Police Department.

Mr. Cullen knew or should have known of his mate's felonious activities.

Mr. Cullen received profits from his wife's felonious activities though direct or indirect mutual assets or benefits.

Members of law enforcement, such as patrol officers, need to be held to a strict observance of the law; and, it is imperative that the City of St. Ignace restrict Mr. Cullen's patrol & law enforcement duties until his wife's trial is concluded to insure public confidence in the local police.

I'm glad the FBI is handling the investigation. This scenario happened 15 years ago in the Sault Tribe when some tribal members stole hundreds-of-thousands of dollars from the casino in a money laundering scheme. That incident was 'handled in house' in order to cover up the fraud and prevent 20 or more tribal members to receive prison time. It is a shame that the tribal members would steal from their own to fuel their sinful addictions.

well at least you can't blame all this on the white guy this time. years of oppressing your own people to line the pockets of yourself and others. but then again all i hear is how its everyone elses fault except theirs. people losing their jobs after giving years of faithful serivce and helping to build up places like the casino is just one of their many talents i guess. but then making people live in fear that they may next on the chopping block is just another way of doing business is guess. cutbacks due to no money only to find out that some of the moneys are being stolen from within and im sure not in just this incident either. and you cant blame the tribe for this only those involved in these incidents. a whole group of people is not at fault for the misdeeds of a few. if you have ants in the sugar bowl, dump it and get new sugar, dotn just pick out the ants

Addiction is an illness, theft and everything else Fred did was intentional.

This is for rainbow101, I'm pretty sure that on the indictment it says United States of America plaintiff, vs Frederick James Paquin and Mary Christine Cullen defendants. That to me sounds like little Miss Princess is being charged with something. Maybe you should learn your facts before you post something, and open your mouth. Read an article or 5 and get educated before you make statements.

All I have to say is this TRIBE is a JOKE! All of you commenting are not NATIVE people. SERIOUSLY native people support one another and try to see facts and not spread rumors or speculations on gargabe. Lat time I checked people were innocent until proven guilty.

This tribe is full of social and political climbers.. Look at the Admin building or inside the police deopartment itself. The acting poloce chief is one of the best brown nosers I've seen since looking in the attorneys office at Mr. Schlehuber.

WHy are we not looking at the CFO who over looked a lot of the purchases?' DId he perhaps throw Fred under the bus? As for Fred's daughter, I saw her many times in Saint Ignace owrking as well as in the Soo, but maybe I just saw her ghost or Twin. I know it wasn't Miss Collia cause it would take 3 of Mary's to make her.

I think that the FBI has nothing and is using Mary in hopes that Fred will plea. Anyone who knows him knows he loves his daughter more then anything. She is strong and she did nothing wrong.

I think everyone wants to kick someone when they are down and add fuel to a fire that died out 2 years ago. I feel the FBI looked like a joke and is a joke and needed to save face. Well let's see. As for all of you who are commenting on other family members not involved you should back off. I think it is more out of personal feelings then facts. I may not know Mr. Cullen very well, but know he takes his job seriously and I believe there are hard feelings because he arrested a tribal police offocer for drunk driving. Which I also believe the Sault Tribe legal department got involved in- Hmmm wasn't that personal and non-tribal. So, take a good look at everything before you defend a side.

Also to rainbow101...a 47 page indictment mentions dear Mary several times. She was transported to federal court along with Bad Daddy. It was not a case of ' thanks Daddy for the big paycheck that I do nothing for...how nice of the tribal members to give me this.' Guilty or stupid.

MarchMando...two long years of investigations and witness testimonies concluded that there was plenty of cause for the FBI to arrest Paquin,his daughter and Hope Collia. Who cares who pointed the finger at which crook? Why would that be an issue? This isn't done and anyone who thinks it is should look back and think about whether or not they received any questionable gifts from someone who had the power to obtain them in the first place. Bashing the feds is not going to diminish the good job they did in corralling these crooks.

I have read all the comments on the corruption Fred, Todd and whoever else. One thing that you all have right is there is much more and it will take time as one stated above to figure it all out. I would agree that there are probably some who are very worried with the arrest of Fred. I am one of the staff who worked for the tribe for 25 years and was called to an office and told your job is being eliminated. In the 25 years working for the tribe I have seen the scenario 'its who you know'. And believe me it is true. I watched as staff were told to lay someone off and the casino managers went to the board and asked for them to stay (and they were kept). I do understand that cuts needed to be made but the board of directors is paid a salary to make decisions to get rid of others no matter what job it is or if it effects customer service (which is the business they are in). It is about the all mighty dollar now get rid of all the people who are making a decent living (even if they worked their a>>> off for many years to get the tribe where it is at) so we can keep living the way we are. The tribe ruins peoples lives all the time, ask around SSM and see what kind of respect they have with the business community, you might be surprised!!

MarchMando would know where Mary has been all week cuz he's married to her! Also, the Sault Tribe Law Enforcement has come along way in the last 2 years. The so called 'brown noser' of an Interim Police Cheif has done in 2 years what Fred couldn't accomplish in 10!! He has the respect of his officers and the respect of the Sault Tribe community. Don't throw stones MarchMando just because you married into the family you did!!

MarchMando.....AKA.....Richard Cullen or Relative of all parties involved. I think you should be focusing your energy within your own family.. you have a long road ahead of you. I agree the courts will decide the fate of all parties involved in this federal investigation.
If you ever feel the need to talk with me please feel free to call me. Thank You.

I'm sorry, but your tribe is a running joke. This is not out of disrespect, but honesty. You lost Greektown because of your poor management efforts. Hello, you elected these people so stand behind them. Everyone is looking to point a finger and waiting for others to make a mistake so they can attack like wolves. I've sat back and held my tongue for years and finally I am mad because i have talked to many who were interviewed by the FBI and told how rude and disrepectful they were when the FBI was beiong told information that did not suit them. I believe the investigation was not complete, but all that will come out in court. Maybe some of you should sit back and wait before running your mouths. I would hate for some to have to look foolish to your fellow tribal people, but they are probably all waiting for that day to point a finger at you. Look around your tribe who is really your friend and who is willing to sell you out for themselves. Outsiders look at all of you as a Joke and this is honesty not disrepect.

Somebody needs a BABYSITTER! this is out of control! well not everybody should have a babysitter....

MarchMando - Try to refrain from making your own assumptions as well, pratice what you preach!
I do happen to be a long standing Sault Tribe member of 1/2 blood quantum so please do not assume everyone posting their comments on here are not of blood just because you don't like what is being said. Truth hurt??
I know for a fact Mary was not working during the whole period of time for the Tribe, try being honest, at least with yourself, you might actually find it liberating.
When all of this is said and done I believe our Tribe will benefit from having one of the largest scam artist finally exposed for what he is and off our Tribal payroll forever, it's been a long time comin'!

This is wonderful. You all are making yourselves look like idiots. Keep up the good work. Id much rather read this than cook all day.

Did this investigation by the FBI happen before or after Fred smacked his married girlfriend around? Or was it before or after Fred 'resigned' as chairman of Greektown? Just trying to get all of my facts straight.

Yeah, Fred's a real winner.

Speaking of winners, how many times under Fred's direction was the STPD named best law enforcement agency? MarchMando, I'm sure in your opinion recognition like that doesn't matter because who cares what the community thinks right? Fred has shown time and time again it was never about the community he served as a law enforcer or a board member, it was always about him and how things would benefit him. But again who cares since as you said the tribe is a joke. Also, I think the reason people think youre Rich is because you sound pretty douchey just like him.

This is nothing but bad news for everyone. It puts the Tribe in a bad light. It casts aspersions on people, the leadership, and the community. (Most of which deserve a good lashing, but I digress...) No one will come away from this unscathed in some form or another. That being said; those who participated in pilfering money, goods, votes, or anything else should be shaking in their boots. Because the stone has been set off its perch and it is cascading uncontrollabley down the slope. If you have placed yourself in its path, you will be run over and ground up with its weight.

For those of you who said that there were names 'mentioned' but no arrests made... remember that the document where these names were 'mentioned' is called a Federal Indictment. A Federeal indictment is almost as good as a conviction in the U.S. as the Feds have a 99.8% success rate. (That is a FACT) The Feds don't just 'arrest' people. Much time and effort is put into the investigation process before they come down with an indictment. Reality check: Fred and Mary, along with Hope are in deep trouble. Love them or hate them that fact remains. Me, I'm waiting for all the shoes to drop.

http://www.justice.gov/usao/miw/press/FPaquin01202010.html
No 3rd party info here......just facts about the arrest of Fred Paquin and his daughter...read for yourselves.

If im wrong im wrong, but when any law enforcement agency interviews anyone its closed door usually. meaning that with the exception of a lawyer they are not allowed to discuss the interview with anyone until the investigation is fully completed. might be due to the fact they MAY have to testify in court. makes you wonder what sort of position March Mando is in to hear so much information from so many people. could it be a law enforcement position? or do they just allow anyone into a dentention facility where they can see people doing dishes and talk to guards?MarchMando has alot of first hand knowledge about a great many things about the investigation and how its is not complete. come on you mean the FBI did an incomplete investigation, took it to the Attorney Generals office and still got an indictment! i think they must have had more then a few things right to get the indictment that was handed down. but hey everyone has their day in court so i am sure the truth will prevail in the end. i hope i didn't sound douchey about it.

More math
Sick time + Fraud =Lease payoff...thats a HOT deal

Wow. Lietz has radar and GPS? Who knew.

I gotta say I love this RockaFella guy. We should get a beer sometime. You know alot about the situation at hand, like how Rich likes to break a bone in his leg and get paid for worker's comp, oh wait that happened off duty and at his own house. My favorite though is how Officer Cullen likes to do the dirty deed with his babysitter's, I meant that as plural, this latest babysitter scandal wasn't the first time he did that, nor the last I'm sure. Oh and by the way you should be counting yourself lucky that you didnt get indicted like your wife and father-in-law, you douche. Read the FBI's site if you want the facts and not rumors on here. Fred was transported to Marquette, Mary was not but was still indicted, kinda like what they did with Hope, hopefully the school fires her.

All you Freddy supporters need to let a clue. ANYTHING Fred ever did with the money he took, he did to make himself look good. I'm SURE it's easy to be generous and giving with someone elses money! The man is a crook.I Hope the rest go down with him. It's easy to see why Tribal employees and members keep getting things taken away.... and it's not hard to figure out whos taking it. I know I won't waste any time visiting Mr. Wonderful in Prison, I'll be to busy working a second job to feed my family because one job with the Tribe wont pay the bills. Unless your in one of the 'family&buddy only' jobs

I will agree and its a shame that a Mega Multi Million dollar a year operation has to be dominated by just a few manipulating messed up CORE families and it is rather obvious who they are so is should be interesting to see who is next to fall in this house of cards. We need to give more power to the people and set terms limits on the board then eradicate the election committee and use an independent.

I wonder how many people are in jail because of this 'trusted ' official? and are they going to try and appeal on grounds the guy was a bigger criminal than they were.

One thing is clear, there were a number of poor choices made here. Another thing, not that I am a fan of Fred but ones actions do not define a person. I hope that for all the parties involved with this indictments can find some sort of peace with this, especially the families involved. Fred and his gang should pay the price for their actions; hopefully through this they can also change whatever it is they are at conflict with themselves and come out better honest people....
Everyone has skeletons in their closets, maybe one day one of his will leak out.

Sooos, I supported Todd's decision when he was bashed by many a year and a half ago. I stand and will continue to stand on the right side of history (read my comments above).

My only gain is to tell the truth and to hopefully stir the tribe and our people in the right direction and to end corruption. Don't assume you know my future or my intentions, you don't know.

Everyone does have skeletons in their closet, including the Sault Tribe. There are more Fred Paquins who either lead or are currenly working for the Sault Tribe. More to come.

NativeJoke, if you were a smart person you would know that sevrance was found not guilty by a judge. Remember innocent until proven guilty and if found not guilty, then you were not in the wrong. That case was cop against cop, you can't say the judge was taking sides, but if I do remember correct, Officer Cullen was sent on a revenge mission from daddy because Ray wasn't afraid to stand up to Fred. And I do believe that an officer from Rich's own department was in the vehicle. Go fix a slot machine or escort some old lady out of the casino and let the real educated people do the cop thing, you don't sound like you should be allowed to tote a gun around anyways.

taken from Evening News:
comments related to the attached article use this link:

http://www.sooeveningnews.com/homepage/x1689215145/FBI-arrests-former-tribal-police-chief?popular=true

DOWNLOAD PRINTABLE COPY HERE

Fred Paquin bond conditions & media release

2010-01-27T06:32:00.000-08:00

Paquin has a "$5000 unsecured bond (attached here), must surrender his passport, no contact with witnesses, no travel, cannot possess a firearm and must reside in the Upper Peninsula at all times, but for visits to his legal counsel in Cheboygan." It certainly would be interesting to see who he spends his limited freedom with.

Also, here is the link to the U.S. Attorney's media release

Former Sault Tribe Chief of Police Fred Paquin arrested on 12 federal criminal indictments

2010-01-20T07:47:00.001-08:00

BREAKING NEWS

Former Sault Tribe Chief of Police Fred Paquin arrested on 12 federal criminal indictments. Source report that both Paquin and his daughter Mary Cullen were arrested yesterday in St. Ignace and transported to U.S. District Court in Marquette for process and possibly held without bond. The actual indictment document is attached.

This news comes on the heels of the announcement by the City of St. Ignace who received hired Fred Paquin as their Chief of Police despite being under federal criminal investigation which resulted in the 12 indictments and since it was clearly known by St. Ignace that Paquin was named as a co-conspiritor in a federal indictment handed down on 12-23-09 for which Paquin's former secretary acknowledge both her role and Paquin's role in committing these crimes.

Former Sault Tribe Chairperson Aaron Payment stated, “Justice dictates that anyone who conspired to commit or allow criminal activity, be investigated and brought to justice. That includes Tribal Board members and Tribal administrators if necessary. No one should be immune.”

While the Tribe’s government should have been vigilant in protecting the Tribe’s assets, several Council members acted to shield Paquin from discipline including overturning his termination in October 2007 and by returning Paquin from employment suspension during the federal criminal probe days before he allegedly attempted to destroy evidence”, Payment added.

Payment concluded, “under the Sault Tribe’s current structure of government, no separation of powers exists to effectively hold individuals of such crimes responsible. A separation of powers, with a separate judicial branch and an elected inspector general are desperately needed. Paquin’s impending indictments clearly demonstrate this.

Download 47 page pdf here.

Story ran in the Sault Evening News here

FEDERAL CRIMINAL INDICTMENT

2010-01-14T14:04:00.000-08:00

federal criminal indictment issued by the U.S. District Court Western District of MI

A SERIES OF INVESTIGATIONS LEAD TO FEDERAL CRIMINAL INDICTMENT OF FORMER SAULT TRIBE CHIEF OF POLICE FRED PAQUIN’S ASSISTANT –
PAQUIN’S INDICTMENT IMPENDING.

On 12-23-09, the former administrative assistant to the former Sault Tribe Chief of Police Fred Paquin, accepted a plea deal for her role and conspiracy to commit crimes perpetrated by the former Chief of Police. Federal indictments of Paquin are anticipated any day. Among the indictments expected include: theft from a tribal organization and embezzlement of BIA Self-Governance dollars and Department of Justice COPS funding for tribal law enforcement. The prosecution marks the culmination of a set of exhaustive criminal investigations at the State level by the Michigan State Police at the Federal level which began in the fall of 2007 with allegations of assault against a tribal woman and eventually led to investigations by the FBI and BIA Criminal Investigative Unit and charges filed by the U.S. Attorney’s Office - Western District of Michigan.
Former Sault Tribe Chairperson Aaron Payment stated, “Justice dictates that anyone who conspired to commit or allow criminal activity, be investigated and brought to justice. That includes Tribal Board members and Tribal administrators if necessary. No one should be immune.”
While the Tribe’s government should have been vigilant in protecting the Tribe’s assets, several Council members acted to shield Paquin from discipline including overturning his termination in October 2007 and by returning Paquin from employment suspension during the federal criminal probe days before he allegedly attempted to destroy evidence”, Payment added.
Payment concluded, “under the Sault Tribe’s current structure of government, no separation of powers exists to effectively hold individuals of such crimes responsible. A separation of powers, with a separate judicial branch and an elected inspector general are desperately needed. Paquin’s impending indictments clearly demonstrate this.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
PAQUIN ALLEGEDLY ASSAULTS WOMAN
August 28, 2007 - Paquin is suspended as Sault Tribe Police Chief for allegedly assaulting a woman who worked in an office that came in regular contact with the Tribal Police department. The alleged assault took place August 20, 2007.
Tribal prosecutor James Bias reports to the Sault Tribe Board of Directors that a criminal investigation of Fred Paquin, by the MI State Police was underway. He also recommends Paquin’s suspension and the confiscation of his gun, badge, and police vehicle.
Just prior to advising the Board of the alleged assault and administrative actions, Paquin had breakfast with several members of the Sault Tribe Board of Directors (Causley, Hoffman, Abramson, Eitrem, and Massaway – Paquin’s first cousin) to give his version of what happened. Paquin denied assaulting the victim and complained about having his weapon and badge surrendered.
http://www.stignacenews.com/news/2007-09-06/News/011.html

SAULT TRIBE BOARD MEMBER DJ HOFFMAN CLAIMS ASSAULT IS MADE UP: “POLITICAL”
August 28, 2007 - During the Tribal Prosecutor’s explanation of events and the revelation that the MI State Police were investigating Paquin, Director Hoffman continuously mocked the proceedings claiming the entire situation was political and made up. At several junctures, Chairperson Payment objected to Paquin being allowed to sit in the room while this information was presented. Under all other circumstances, during a criminal investigation; the alleged perpetrator would not be permitted to sit-in and attempt to discount everything and threaten the continued employment of the prosecutor. Director Causley, vehemently insisted that Paquin be allowed to sit through the proceedings. That evening Director Hoffman submitted a resolution to remove Chairperson Payment as Paquin’s supervisor to try to avoid Paquin’s suspension.
August 30, 2007 - The day after the alleged assault, the Sault Tribe Board of Directors held a meeting in Newberry, MI (8-21-07). Both Paquin and Director Lana Causley were in attendance. Sometime thereafter, Director Causley volunteered to be interviewed by the MI State Police (MI State Police Report attached) to tell them that Fred Paquin was distraught and crying and that he had a sustained a black eye during an incident with the victim the night before. In reviewing the tapes from the Board meeting held that evening (8/21/07) the video clearly shows that Paquin did not have a black eye which suggests Causley’s reports to the MI State Police were false. Is lying to the police perjury?

PAQUIN THREATENS TO TERMINATE VICTIM’S FAMILY
September 2007 - During the MI State Police criminal investigation, Paquin made several threatening phone calls to the victim which were recorded via wire tap by the Michigan State Police. These tapes were eventually discovered through a Freedom of Information Act request with consent by the victim. In the tapes, Paquin is repeatedly heard pleading with the victim to drop the whole thing, stop talking to the police, and that if she didn’t, she and her entire family members would lose their jobs with the Tribe. Specifically, Paquin claimed, “you will find out who is in charge of this tribe.” Paquin had the means to execute his threat since the victim’s father worked in Paquin’s chain of command and her husband was employed by the Greektown Casino while Paquin was newly appointed the Chairman of the Greektown Casino Management Board of Directors. The police interrogation tapes appeared in the Detroit Free Press on 12/13/07 (http://turtletalk.wordpress.com/2007/12/13/sault-tribe-police-chief-scandal/)

CHAIRPERSON PAYMENT FIRES PAQUIN: TRIBAL BOARD REINSTATES PAQUIN
November 9, 2007 - After the tapes threatening the victim were presented to Tribal Chairperson Aaron Payment by the Sault Tribe Legal Department and Human Resources, Payment followed policy and terminated Paquin’s employment. Harassment at this level, by the Chief of Police to adversely affect someone’s employment (her father worked at the Tribal detention center under the authority of the Tribal Chief of Police), was clear cause for termination. The Tribal Board of Directors, however, refused to ratify this action at a Special Meeting of the Tribal Board of Directors on November 13, 2007. Without any discussion of the facts or even hearing the justification for Paquin’s termination, the Tribal Board of Directors directed that Paquin be reinstated. The Board refused to even hear the justification for termination and failed to rule Paquin out of order, as a member of the Tribal Board of Directors, in a ‘conflict of interest’ and allowed him vote! http://www.stignacenews.com/news/2007/1122/News/050.html

PAQUIN PUTS GREEKTOWN AT RISK: FORCE TO RESIGN FROM MANAGEMENT BOARD
Late November 2007 - Realizing Paquin now represented a risk to the Sault Tribe’s Greektown gaming license, the attorneys representing the Greektown Casino recommended Paquin be suspended as the Chair of the Greektown Management Board. Ironically, the alleged assault (8-20-07) occurred just three days after Tribal Board Members (Hoffman, Causley, Abramson, Eitrem, McKelvie, and Paquin) appointed Paquin as the Chairperson of the GT Management Board of Directors. http://www.stignacenews.com/news/2007-12-27/News/Paquin_Resigns_as_Board_Chair.html

December 2007 - Given the seriousness of an alleged assault by a police officer, Chippewa County Prosecutor Brian Peppler referred the case to the MI Attorney General’s Office who in turn appointed a special prosecutor.

DIRECTOR ABRAMSON’S RESOLUTION TO PUT VICTIM’S FAMILY AT RISK
12-27-07 - Chairperson Payment announced a change to the organizational chart (see attached) to move the Tribal Detention facility out from under the Chief of Police’s direction to insulate the victim’s father (an employee at the detention center) from harassment or termination from Paquin as the Chief of Police.
1-15-08 - Directors Abramson, Causley, Hoffman, Paquin, Massaway, Petoskey and Paquin voted to move the Detention Center back under Paquin and in the line of fire for terminating the victim’s father. Paquin was not called into conflict and was allowed to vote. This act was done by motion to circumvent the Tribal Constitutional Right of Referendum for the members to challenge this action. This new organizational change also moved all employees out from under the direction of the Tribal Chairperson. This sent a shocking chill to both the victim and her father and set up the situation whereby Paquin was put back to work regardless of any criminal investigations by the State Police, MI Attorney General’s office, the BIA, or even the FBI.

CHAIRPERSON PAYMENT REPORTS TO THE BOARD ‘NO LIABILITY’ EXISTS ON PAQUIN’S EMPLOYMENT CONTRACT: BOARD PAYS PAQUIN $100,000 ANNUAL SALARY ANYWAY
January 2008 - After conferring with tribal employment attorneys and the Sault Tribe human resources director, Chairperson Payment reported to the Tribal Board of Directors that based on Paquin’s poor performance the previous year that there was no longer any liability on Paquin’s employment contract as Tribal Chief of Police. This was determined based on: his alleged assault; his threat against the victim and her father if she cooperated with the police; a discovery that he was not submitting for vacation or sick time when away from the office for a time span of four years (in the policy manual this is a terminable offense for theft); and for having orchestrated an illegitimate pay raise of $20,000 with Bernard Bouschor on the day the Notice of Election went out in 2004. Nonetheless, Tribal Board members Abramson, Causley, Hoffman, Massaway, Petoskey and others choose to allow Paquin to continue to be paid nearly a $100,000 annual salary while on suspension for approximately an entire year.

DIRECTOR CAUSLEY DEMANDS PAQUIN BE PUT BACK TO WORK DURING FBI INVESTIGATION
(http://tribaltattler.blogspot.com/2009/03/causleys-complicity-or-conspiracy-with.html)
click to hear audio of Causley.

March 4, 2008 - Director Causley, insists that Paquin go back to work immediately. There seemed to be a great sense of urgency and immediacy in her voice. The video clip above captured Causley asserting that Paquin go back to work. A majority of the Tribal Board insisted that Paquin go back to work immediately and ordered Paquin’s new supervisor - Victor Matson, Jr. to place him back to work. Tribal Legal reminded the Chairperson that he had no authority to keep Paquin on suspension given Director's Abramson's 1-15-08 motion which placed the Chief of Police under Victor Matson, Jr’s supervision..

PAQUIN ALLEGEDLY DESTROYS EVIDENCE IN FEDERAL CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION?
March 6, 2008 – Victor Matson allows Paquin to return to work. Reportedly, Paquin stayed after hours his first day back to work. Varied accounts had him destroying documents and shredding time cards. This was eventually reported by Kristi Little to Chairperson Payment nearly three weeks after the incident .
Tribal Attorney Aaron Schlehuber, a close personal friend of Paquin, was also aware of this. One of the allegations against Paquin is that he paid his daughter (Mary Cullen) using federal funds to serve as a teacher at the Tribal Detention Center while she was doing her student teaching rotation (full time) at the St. Ignace schools. Paquin allegedly directed his administrative assistant to falsified payroll records to pay his daughter a professional teacher salary for up to 9 months to teach the children at the Detention Center when in fact she did not teach there.
Did Tribal Board members Lana Causley, DJ Hoffman, Cathy Abramson, Keith Massaway, and Shirley Petoskey, attorney Aaron Scheluber, executive director Kristi Little and Tribal Chief Financial Officer Victor Matson, Jr. know that this issue was under federal criminal investigation when they forced Paquin back to work? Did they realize that he might try to cover up his alleged embezzlement actions by destroying time cards? Is this the reason for the urgency to put him back to work? To see a memo (dated 3-21-09) sent to Little and Matson by Chairperson Payment, click on the attached (http://tribaltattler.blogspot.com/2009/04/paquins-alleged-criminal-activity.html.

In the video above, the two attorneys who were not present but for which Tribal Chairman Payment insisted their opinions should be heard were the Prosecutor and Assistant Prosecutor - James Bias and Jocelyn Fabry. Both were in contact with the FBI and BIA investigators. Their involvement may have prevented Paquin from going back to work during a sensitive portion of the investigation.. Subsequently, both Bias and Fabry announced one week prior to the election that they were leaving Sault Tribe employment and taking the alleged victim with them to work in private practice.
May 8, 2008 - At the urging of the FBI and BIA Criminal Investigative Unit, Paquin was again suspended (http://www.stignacenews.com/news/2008/0515/news/022.html)
Chairperson Payment had to remind Matson that his continued ‘ill cooperation’ could be seen as an act of obstruction of justice since they FBI had the Chairperson’s full cooperation and consent to search Paquin’s office and any Tribal records. Upon suspending Paquin yet again, the FBI found a door shackle on Paquin’s office door to prevent access, though Matson initially refused, Chairperson Payment granted consent to search the premises.

Sault Tribe $2.66 Million 7 +1 Case in Front of MI Supreme Court

2009-10-06T12:25:00.000-07:00

SUMMARY AND HIGHLIGHTS
A full copy of the MI Supreme Court Proceedings can be downloaded:
Click here

Summary of the Case

Of the $2.9 million,Who Got What? (click to see how much each got)

Overview

The Facts: The 2004 Tribe Election

The Scheme to Steal the Tribe's Money

Checks Cut in Secret during Employee Picnic

Admission of Guilt: In Their Own Words (click to see their admissions in their own words)

Defendants Take the Money and Run

Bouschor Knew He Did Not have the Authority...(click to see Bouschor Quote admitting he did not have the authority)

Bouschor Pays His Greektown Girlfriend > $200,000! (click to see her name)

Mitchell Research Produces Salacious Michael Jackson Mailers

Bouschor's Daughter on Tape Stealing Tribal Property

Click to see current attorney Aaron Schlehuber's Advice to Bouschor

Click to Share your Opinion on the Case

Grand Traverse Band cuts salaries & programs.

2009-09-25T17:54:00.000-07:00

Council says reductions are needed to balance spending.

BY LINDSAY VANHULLE lvanhulle@record-eagle.com
Published: September 25, 2009 07:35 am

PESHAWBESTOWN -- Leaders of a local American Indian tribe authorized "extensive budget cuts" to balance spending for the upcoming fiscal year, but would not discuss reduction specifics.
The Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians' Tribal Council members accepted salary cuts and some government programs have been rolled back to accommodate a budget shortfall, tribal Chairman Derek Bailey said.

The council sent a letter to all tribal members, dated Sept. 18, and said cuts were needed "to control deficit spending and to safeguard assets for our present membership and future membership."

The 2010 fiscal year begins Oct. 1. The band operated with a roughly $3.9 million deficit this year, according to the letter. The shortfall amount for next year is unclear.
Even though the band is sovereign, "we're not immune to the state and federal government woes," Bailey said, citing a decline in gaming revenues as the motivation for cuts. "If you look at the United States, all the other leisure and consumer-based enterprises (have struggled)."
Tribal law required council members to take 10 percent and 20 percent pay cuts, the letter states, but it is unclear which members took which cuts and when.

Bailey was in Lansing on Thursday and could not be reached for additional comment.
He deferred comment on council salary cuts and gaming revenues to two other tribal members, neither of whom responded to calls from the Record-Eagle.

The Tribal Government Reduction and Reorganization Act, as the upcoming cutbacks are known, was approved in late August after a recommendation from a committee comprised of the tribe's manager, human resources director and chief financial officer.

Eligibility criteria for some government services has been made more stringent, particularly for human services, education and health services, tribal manager Jane Rohl said.
She did not elaborate on how that will contribute to reducing a deficit and said the full Tribal Council would need to approve the release of budget figures.

"We still provide the same services we did before," Rohl said. "We're anticipating it's not going to affect people in need of the services, but we're not going to have any verification of that until we get into the next fiscal year."

About $1 million was cut from the roughly $11 million budget this fiscal year, according to a band newsletter from March 2009 posted online.

The council this year voted to suspend its practice of matching employees' 401(k) contributions, saving $65,158, the newsletter stated.

Story here

TRIBAL UPDATE & REQUEST FOR SUPPORT FOR 2009 TRIBAL VOTER REGISTRATION DRIVE

2009-08-26T08:33:00.000-07:00

Let me begin by thanking you for your support during the 2008 Tribal elections and our personal support over the years.. Along with the use of my own funds of over $35,000, we ran a good clean campaign of ideas and not attacks.

Members continued to be surprised by the outcome due to the fact that during the primary we had:

• Amassed a phenomenal 1,000 nominating petition signatures (only 100 are required).

• Received over 322 individual contributions amounting to $11,294.

• Won a primary vote of 49.8% with my nearest competitor trailing by over 1,028 votes!

If we are to believe the outcome, in just three weeks between the primary and general elections, a swing of 1,706 votes supposedly occurred; that’s 23%! Hundreds of Tribal voters from outside of the UP complained that they received primary but not general election ballots. Countless Tribal members across the country now question the integrity of the manner in which Sault Tribe elections are held.

Nonetheless, I am humbled by the experience but it is a time to look forward with optimism. One continuing situation is the disparity in voter registration between those who live inside versus outside of the service area. Though the Sault Tribe Constitutional requirement for voter registration is virtually the same for all Members, virtually 100% of those who live inside the service area are registered while over 12,000 who live outside of the UP are still not registered.
Those who live in the service area have never had to register but you had to!

This is an unfair and discriminatory ‘equal protections’ violation of your U.S. Constitutional rights. To correct this disparity, I need your help and financial assistance.

A lot has happened in just over a year.

• Reports reveal that Chairman McCoy was criminally convicted on July 16, 2008 of ‘malicious destruction of property’ putting our MI gaming license in jeopardy and providing clear cause for his removal from office.

• During the McCoy administration, Greektown casino has lost $140 million in revenue and our Tribe’s stake in Greektown is coming to a sad end with the loss of hundreds of millions of dollars in equity. Recall the $268 million debt Bouschor singularly negotiated to benefit the Greeks.

• The elder dividend was cut by nearly $1,000 and the principal of the fund almost completely depleted suggesting no dividend in January!

• Previously, 800 college students received financial support from our Tribe to attend college. This year, over 600 students were denied – a 75% cut.

• Tribal children’s Christmas parties were eliminated. While Chairperson, I privately raised nearly $25,000 yearly toward the total cost of about $40,000.

• Where I raised $150,000 annually from businesses for tribal scholarships, this year, it has dropped to less than ½ of what it once was at $69,000 – a 54% drop.

• Members now have to pay for everything, membership cards, application fees, hunting licenses, etc.

• The Board of Directors has not shared in the drastic cuts; their $67,000 salary remains untouched;

• With Bouschor’s ‘Back to ‘Business’ slogan, he got the Board to fund an alcoholic bar in our youth sports and recreation center located in the middle of our Sault reservation site.

• Our Youth program was evicted and relocated to a rundown old building. To get to the building, Tribal kids have to cross a busy street leading to our casino. This is an accident waiting to happen.

• The case against Bernard Bouschor to recover nearly $3 million he stole on election night in 2004 is moving forward. We are awaiting a decision from the MI Supreme court any day now.

• None of the above is reported in our Tribal newspaper by staff or Members of the Tribal Board of Directors as Chairperson McCoy has ordered that this information be censored.

MEMBERS LIVING OUTSIDE OF SERVICE AREA ABANDONED!
Probably the worse outcome is the elimination of any discernible plan or leadership on our Board for the 64% of you who live outside of the Upper Peninsula to ever receive any quantifiable benefit from your Membership. I understand our financial circumstances, but to:

• Cut you off from all communication.

• Completely abandon two years and $350,000 of Constitution work and any hope of ‘at large’ representation.

• Eliminate Tribal member meetings in areas throughout Lower Michigan.

• Keep the status of Greektown a secret is unacceptable.

McCoy promised to meet with Members to restructure the Tribe? Have you been invited to attend any meetings near where you live in the last 14 months?
Are you better off now that you were 14 months ago?

YOUR HELP IS NEEDED NOW, WITH VOTER REGISTRATION
If we are ever to make a change that meets your needs, we need to ensure that those who are most ill-affected by these changes, are empowered to participate in our Tribal election process. There continues to be NEARLY 12,000 Members living outside of the service area who are not registered to vote. I realize, given the appearance of corruption in Tribal elections, it will be difficult to get them to register. My hope is that we will overwhelm the ballot box with votes cast by new voters and overcome any ballot stuffing that may occur.

I need your help in three ways:

• A contribution to help with the costs of the mailings to get Tribal members to register to vote.

• With encouraging others (especially family members/ relatives) who support our cause to contribute as well.

• I need your help to encourage fellow Tribal members to register.

Targeting 5,000 Members not currently registered to vote, the total cost for this effort is between $5,612 and $9,012. The variance in the total estimated cost is based on including return postage to make it more likely that folks register. The totals include mail-out and return envelopes and postage, a cover letter to urge voter registration, labels, and a return post card so I can track our success and share this information with the Bureau of Indian Affairs in those situations where Members attempt to register but do not receive a ballot. The unfortunate reality is this happens far too often with no real due process.

For accountability purposes, I will post all receipts on my blog at: http://saulttribeupdates.blogspot.com/

Please keep faith that ‘WE WILL’ make a difference. The path is more indirect, but if we work together, we will eventually become a tribal government of integrity, accountability, and one for which we can all say we are proud to be voting Tribal citizens!

Respectfully Submitted,

Aaron A. Payment

TO CONTRIBUTE
TO OUR 2009 TRIBAL VOTER REGISTRATION CAMPAIGN:

• Please reply to this Email with the amount pledged ($20, $50, $100, or more*)
• Mail your contribution in the form of a check or money order to:

2009 Tribal Voter Registration Drive
c/o Aaron A. Payment, MPA
1716 Shunk Road,
Sault Ste. Marie, MI 49783

* Note: All funds will be used to support cost for the voter registration drive and will be accounted for by posting receipts at http://saulttribeupdates.blogspot.com/

These are not regulated funds pursuant to the Sault Tribe Election Code as they are not intended and will NOT be used to support any individual candidate, but strictly for voter registration purposes.

THE ELDER FUND IS DEPLETED...ELDER CHECKS COME TO AN END

2009-06-05T08:53:00.000-07:00

After the election last year, under the McCoy administration, the Tribal CFO and Greektown Representative Victor Matson, Jr. spent the majority (if not all) of the Elder Fund to shore up budget cost overruns for the permanent casino in Greektown. This was done on a wink and a nod. This violates the 1997 law that released the Indian Land Claims money of $19.6 million. According to the law, only 1/2 of the funds could be used on non-speculative secured investments or economic development and any expenditures of the Elder Fund are required to be appoved by the Tribal Board of Directors at a duly called meeting with five days notice. No such meeting occurred. How do we know, ask any Board member for a copy of the minutes; there are none. Also, the Tribal Treasurer is required to give a periodic update on the status of the fund. Since Cathy Abramson took this role, she has never provided even one update to the Members. Why? Because, she and others like her have been complicit in allowing Victor to spend this money without authority. Sources report that this was DJ Hoffman's idea. An unauthorized expenditure of this magnitude (likely the entire $19.6 million) is certainly cause for termination. To have directed the money to be spend behind close doors without a duly called meeting, violates the Tribal Open Meeting Act for which the consequence is removal from office per the Tribal Constitution and Removal statue.

So, if Cathy can figure out the current fiscal status of the Tribe (that is a big if), shouldn't she give a report? Not just a written report that someone else will write but a public presentation to see if she knows what she is talking about. And what about her cousin Joe McCoy, why hasn't he updated you that the creditors are about to take complete ownership and the Tribe will have lost all of their equity to date? Does he think the Members won't be able to understand or is it that he believes you do not have a right to know? Doesn't he have a responsibility to communicate to the Members? So much for his little campaign graphic to involve the Members in decision making. No meetings, no communication, no responsibility.

Read Detroit Freepress news

Here's a good essay from Chuck Forgrave.

2009-06-04T09:41:00.000-07:00

Don't forget the $268,000,000 deal orchestrated by Bernard Bouschor for the benefit of the Greeks at our expense. When he reports that in 2004, we had a $70 million surplus, he neglects to talk about the $268 million we owed the Greeks for which we were in default the day he lost the election in 2004. He hadn't paid them a penny even though we had financed to do so.

Do the math. Subtract the supposed surplus from the Greeks debt and you are still $198 million in the hole. During my Administration, we paid down $208 million of this debt and balanced our Tribal budget every year. It is sickening that we had to pay the Greeks at all, but remember Bouschor insisting that we didn't need a partnership agreement prior to Proposal E passing, then the Greeks demanding 50% ownership with only $24,000 down.

--- On Thu, 6/4/09, Charles Forgrave <cforgraveus@yahoo.com> wrote:

Sault Ste. Marie, Mi...Tight-lipped tribal officials aren't saying anything about it, but an out-of-area news source has confirmed what many tribal members have suspected..Greektown is as good as gone.

While the tribe retains the option of selling it, commercial real estate values have plummeted and bids on the casino have fallen far short of the $ 777,000,000.00 owed on it...leaving it, likely, in the hands of pre-bankruptcy creditors.

Now the blame game will swing into full-gear. For months nothing has been reported to the membership, on the status of the casino. The likelihood here, is, there was nothing good to report. Reporting positive things only, politicians have nothing to say, unless it's something good about things, or themselves.

While Greektown held the future of the tribe in its hands, at one time...looking back, the casino never made it out of the woods.

Right away, it was in debt over its ears. Then, the Watersmeet tribe took it for $ 40,000,000.00. Finally, tribal officials got on the wrong side of Detroit, opting to build a casino in Romulus, despite promises not to. The final punch..which put it down for the full-count..was the country's economic meltdown.

Out-leveraged, out-maneuvered, out-witted from the very beginning, local politicians simply weren't up to the task of owning and operating a casino out in the real world, where they didn't enjoy a total monopoly in the business.

And, so goes the history of the Sault Tribe..hundreds of millions lost in failed businesses; tribal services curtailed, and, members shaken-down for every dollar, in fees; while tribal politicians, themselves, walk away without so much as a reduction in wages.

Thank you, Charles Forgrave

Donna Marble / May 21, 2009

2009-05-22T19:13:00.000-07:00

On or about August 15-17, 2008 I informed my manager that I was not going to be in to work that Thursday and Sunday, which would have been August 21st and 24th 2008. I did this through my manager’s (Russ M.) GroupWise. GroupWise is the official electronic mail system for the Sault Tribe and Kewadin Casino.

On August 26, 2008 I walked into the Entertainment Office at Kewadin Casino and was told by my manager’s secretary (Karen V.) I was going to have paperwork in the mail do not bother coming in on Thursday.

On August 27, 2008 I received termination papers from Kewadin Casino for a three day no call no show. The dates were for August 21, 23, and 24, 2008. I did not grieve the termination because I had another job at the time. In October of 2008 I filed for Unemployment Compensation. I received Unemployment Compensation Up until March 2009 when Far Management and Kewadin Casino put in an Appeal for Re-determination on February 25, 2009.

Download full letter here

BREAKING NEWS

2009-05-07T11:24:00.000-07:00

JOE McCOY AND WIFE SEEN LEAVING VICTIM'S WORK: REPORTEDLY THEY TRY TO GET VICTIM TO DROP THE CHARGES OFFERING HIM MONEY!

At about 12:45pm today (5-7-09) eyewitnesses report that Joe McCoy and his wife Sharon were seen exiting the victim's place of business. A source who talked with the victim - reports that Joe's purpose was to get the victim to drop the entire situation and recant his statements to the MI State Police. This is very troubling given the State Police acknowledged to the victim that McCoy admits to assaulting him. Joe and his wife reportedly again offered money but the victim refused saying, "You said you didn't break my tail lights, so why would you offer money?"

At this point, it appears an additional count may be added to the charges of tampering with a witness. How long the young man will be able to stick to his account as the threats, and pressure mount, is unknown.

SAULT TRIBE CHAIRPERSON JOE McCOY GOES BERSERK: ASSAULTS MINOR SON'S FRIEND!

On Sunday night (5-30-09) Chairperson Darwin "Joe" McCoy was involved in an assault and battery and malicious destruction of property situation. The MI State Police (Sault Branch) were called and investigated the scene (Joe McCoy’s home address at 3090 S. Seymour St., Sault Ste. Marie, MI).

In the evening, Joe McCoy's son was visited by a few of his friends. One of these individuals was the victim in question. Joe's son is a minor. Reportedly, a few weeks ago, McCoy's son was involved in a high speed police chase to his home just outside of the city limits of Sault Ste. Marie. State, City and Tribal officers were involved in the chase. McCoy's son was arrested for fleeing police. Later Joe McCoy threatened to have the Tribal Officer - Dan Frechette fired for being involved in the chase. This is problematic as Sault Tribe Law Enforcement Officers are State certified and follow a mutual law enforcement agreement that supports the local police as backup. Frechette had no choice but to join in the chase.

When the victim went to McCoy's son's home around 10pm on Sunday, he and his friends parked the victim's car at Joe McCoy's house and McCoy's son took his father's truck for a ride. Four passengers - including the victim - went along. When they returned, around 10:30pm, McCoy's son went into the house while the others waited in the drive way. According to a witness, Joe McCoy and his wife were yelling very loudly at their son so the others decided to leave. The youth were fearful for McCoy's son's safety.

Then things got crazy. Joe McCoy came out of the house by the passenger's side of the victim's truck. He locked eyes with the victim and began yelling profanities. He then made his way to the driver's side and opened the door and punched the victim in the face. At that point, Joe McCoy's wife Sharon pulled him back to stop him. Then the victim and his friends took off. The victim then dropped each of the minor kids off at their homes and went to the MI State Police Post in the Sault to report this. After giving the names of the witnesses, he drove back to pick them up to have them give statements to the MI State Police. Three of the four confirmed the victim ’s statement while one didn’t see the punch.

The State Police went to McCoy's house but his lights were off. They did not knock on the door. They did, however, recover fragments of broken tails lights from the victim's truck from Joe McCoy's driveway. the victim reports and the other witnesses confirm that his tail lights were functional when he first went to the McCoy's that night.

According to a witness, MI State Police confirmed that McCoy admitted to striking the victim but denied having anything to do with his tail lights. Again, the MI State Police reported to the victim that they found fragments of broken tail lights at Joe McCoy's.

Reports indicate that Joe McCoy's wife offered the victim money to pay for the damages to his truck. It’s not clear if this done specifically to drop the situation in exchange for the money, but clearly that’s the impression. If McCoy didn’t create the damage to the tail lights, why is he offering to fix them?

Chairman McCoy Lives-It-Up / On Our Dime

2009-05-04T12:46:00.000-07:00

In 2006, when Joe McCoy ran for the Tribal Board. He asked to speak to me during a break in the Tribal Board meeting. He wanted privacy, so we stepped aside in the back of the house convention area. Then he 'let 'er rip', yelling at me like a mad man for a survey I did and published in the Tribal paper asking all board candidates,

'If elected, will you support or throw out the lawsuit against Bouschor to recover the $3 million she stole from the Elders and all member?"

McCoy responded, "You don't know me, you have no right to judge me!"

I asked what he was talking about. He referenced that I was spreading the rumor of his drunk driving conviction. Truth is, he was convicted of this - during an election cycle. Now, I realize other Members may have the same conviction. To lie about it, however, is to compound the denial. If he is now living the high life on our dime, it is just a matter of time and this will catch up to him. Playing big shot means his fall will be especially hard.

On Sun, 5/3/09, Charles Forgrave <cforgraveus@yahoo.com> wrote:

Sault Ste. Marie, Mi...Reportedly, tribal chairman and local businessman, Joe McCoy, was having himself a high ole time in Detroit today, living it up and enjoying the fruits and luxuries of the wealth generated by the Greektown Casino, sitting in the Greektown suite and taking in the Red Wing game at the Joe Louis Arena, in the company of his son and another young man. Observers report the chairman appeared to be inebriated; or, to use the less dignified word, drunk. Well, how could that be? Well, it could be. Tribal chairman McCoy does have a driving under-the-influence conviction from 2006.Do we have a right to expect more from those who represent us? Many tribal members think so. The individuals who reported on Chairman McCoy, certainly think so. As they eagerly pointed out, when tribal officials are out there in public and enjoying themselves on our dime, they are, after all, representing us.A final note: let's hope the chairman took the Greektown limo back to his hotel room. We certainly wouldn't want him or anyone else to get hurt in a car accident.

Thank you, Charles Forgrave

RECOMMENDED APPOINTMENT OF BOUSHCOR'S FIRST COUSIN SHOCKING!

2009-05-01T13:14:00.000-07:00

Download pdf

The recommended appointments of Tony Nertoli and Lori Jump to the appellate court are shocking.

First, with regard to Tony Nertoli (Bernard Bouschor's first cousin). In 2002, as a seated judge Tony Nertoli (no law degree or college level education) ordered a foster parent to violate the terms of her appointment by directing her to deliver a young male child to his home in the middle of the night. ACFS and the Prosecutor had agreed on an order placing the child in foster care with restrictive covenants limiting access to the child given suspected (later proven) sexual abuse. When the foster mother got the call from Tony ordering her to violate the court order, she was besides herself.

When she noted to Tony that she would not be delivering the child to him as it violated her foster care appointment and court order of no contact, Tony responded by threatening to jail her. She then called her ACFS social worker who in turn contacted James Bias as Prosecutor who then got an emergency hearing with Kandra Robbins' as judge. Kandra in turn called Fred Paquin as Chief of Police to order his officers not to arrest the foster mom if she didn't deliver the child to Tony in the middle of the night. Sure enough, when the foster mom didn't deliver the child, Tony called the police to order them to arrest the foster mom. Luckily the police knew not to follow Tony's order due to his judicial misconduct by trying to influence a case dealing with his own relative.

James Bias as Tribal Prosecutor, Kandra Robbins as Associate Judge, and Fred Paquin as Chief of Police all signed letters to attest to their role and that they believed Tony Nertoli's actions constituted judicial misconduct. I have these letters in my possession and will post them if the Board appoints Nertoli. Those who were on the Board at the time (Abramson, McKelvie, LaPoint, Chase) are all aware of this situation as the Board then opted not to reappoint Tony based on this issue.

With regard to Lori Jump. Lori's issue is a little more straightforward. Lori's program is funded by the U.S. Department of Justice. Her job is to coordinate our various Victims' Services throughout the Tribe. Her job is as an advocate and as such she cannot be considered objective when it comes to hearing cases. She has a serious conflict of interest as she is involved in cases by providing services to victims in these cases. This would not be allowed in any other court system and warrants a written legal opinion of whether or not her employment role would constitute a conflict of interest. If she were an attorney, this would not be allowed as she would need a waiver on both sides to hear a case. Also, given the funds originate from the U.S. D.O.J., I believe a letter from them as the grantor is also necessary to to avoid any funding conflicts which may jeopardize funding.

Joe McCoy - Bouschors Candidate

2009-04-27T20:54:00.000-07:00

I am forwarding you the following article link from Crain’s Business Weekly, as it seriously calls into question Chair McCoy’s knowledge or his integrity (Click here) . As you all know, I second guessed the very close affiliation between Bernard Bouschor and Joe McCoy during the 2008 election. They say a picture is worth a thousand words. The attached photo was taken during the election cycle.

JOE McCOY EMBARRASSES HIMSELF AT MGCB MEETING
In the attached article from Crain’s, the Michigan Gaming Control Board was asked to authorize a management company (The Fine Group) and individual to supervise as CEO for the time being during the tail end of the bankruptcy proceedings. In an earlier announcement, Chair McCoy was appointed along with two other individuals on the Greektown Management Board of Directors. However, with the exodus of former CEO Craig Gelphi, either the MGCB or the bankruptcy judge was apparently not satisfied with his replacement - Cliff Vallier’s qualifications or management ability so they asked for a replacement. The action to appoint Ralph Fine (someone who I do not know so I have no stake in this decision personally) was a mistrial action of the MGCB. For McCoy to instruct the Greektown attorney’s to object at that point is simply embarrassing. For him to have done so, to try to have a Bernard Bouschor Crony appointed is very telling. Below is some background information about the guy Joe McCoy wanted appointed.
Clifford Vallier: Cliff is from Calument. Prior to working for Kewadin Casinos as an accountant, he worked for a very small accounting firm in Kincheloe, MI. Cliff entire career with gaming prior to working for Greektown was as Bernard Boushcor’s subordinate. He was transferred to Greektown by Bernard Bouschor when Bouschor became CEO.
When the Greektown Management Board suspended Bernard Bouschor because he paid out his girlfriend a $210,000 severance following his loss in the 2004 Tribal Chair election, they spent the next several months preparing to defend against a threatened lawsuit by Bouschors’ girlfriend because we stopped payment on the second $105,000 of her $210,000 severance. Additionally, as the Greektown Management Board contemplated how to separate from Bouschor, they met in several closed session to discuss strategy.

VALLIER BREECHING CONFIDENTIALITY – TIPPING OFF BOUSCHOR
For some time it seemed like both Bouschor and his high priced girlfriend knew details about our closed proprietary discussions. At first, I suspected fellow Board members, but then realized that Cliff Vallier was spoon feeding both Bouschor and his $100 an hour girlfriend ($210,000/2080 hours) our strategy. How do I know? I checked Cliff Vallier’s cell records and found that he was in regular contact with both after every Greektown Management Board meeting. Strangely enough, he was also in regular contact with Lana Causley and her father John Causley, Jr.

GREEKTOWN GIRLFRIEND THREATENS SEXUAL HARRASSMENT LAWSUIT: GREEKTOWN SETTLES
In the end, the Greektown Management Board agreed to allow Bouschor’s girlfriend to keep the $105,000 she already cashed and paid her another $50,000 to go away quietly as she then began to threaten a sexual harassment suit against Greektown for allowing Bouschor to carry on a sexual relationship with her, the Vice President of Development. At that point, even I felt a little sorry for the gal.
Also, Bouschor was fired for incompetence as measured by an outside gaming consulting company.

HOW CAN I SAY THESE THINGS? AREN’T I AFRAID TO BE SUED?
The best defense is the truth. Attached is a report from the Spectrum Gaming Company that shows Bouschor’s incompetence.

As far as the claim that Boushcor paid out his ‘girlfriend’? Besides everyone else apparently knowing it was true, Bouschor admitted it under oath during a deposition in the 7+1 case (the lawsuit to recover the nearly $3 million Boushcor and others stole on election night 2004).

4-21-09 SAULT TRIBE BOARD MEETING AGENDA AND SUMMARY OF RESOLUTIONS

2009-04-20T11:21:00.000-07:00

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FY 2008 Year End Reconciliation - This modification has the Board budgeting for the over expenditures made in 2008 without prior Board approval. The amount? $3,166,464.93! Pretty far off the mark. Not since Bernard Bouschor was Chairperson has the budget estimation been this far off. During the Payment Administration, the budget was balanced every year. Remember, when the administration overspends, they are spending into the next fiscal cycle as the funds have to be appropriated to reconcile the budget. So, where is this $3 million going to be cut? The Elder Fund is already gone (spent on Greektown).

Mutual of Omaha Benefits – This resolution deals with extending a contract for life and disability insurance for a two year period for Tribal and Casino Team members but it only refers to an attachment for the rates and grants discretionary authority to the Chairperson to modify the plan. The entire plan should be posted for employees to review to see what the rate changes are and to see what changes may occur to the benefits team members receive. The McCoy Administration snuck the changes to the employee 401K (eliminated employer contribution) without consulting with team members. What surprises are in store for the life and disability insurance?

FY 2009 Minimum Wage – This is great for our lowers wage earners. This will bring them to match the MI minimum wage at $7.40 per hour. However, with several key administrators making at or over $100,000…

…why is the McCoy Administration ignoring those who are just above minimum wage - otherwise classified as the working poor? Anyone who makes more than say $75,000 in the Eastern UP is in the top 5% of income earners and consider wealthy. Why not re-factor these folks and others to share the wealth with those at the lower end? Refactoring the top individual to $75,000 and every other individual listed above by the same percentage decrease would save a total of over $600,000 which could then be used to increase the wages of the working poor.

The other problem with this resolution is that it purports to have the minimum wage increase come from existing budgets. If we are to believe that the budgets were set at actual expenses, the only place these increases could come from is from vacant position created by laying off more team members.

Approving Service Agreement: Ogitchiida Qwe, Inc. – In 2008, this contract, for one person, was budgeted to receive over $120,000. The person does an excellent job, but $120,000 when we are already paying Mike McCoy $120,000?! The work performed by Ogitchiida Qwe is far superior to than Mike McCoy’s work product with is absolutely nothing. Why not lay off McCoy, and retain Ogitchiida Qwe at the savings? Oh, that’s right, his name is McCoy.

FY 2009 Recreation - Youth Program Budget Mod – This is a move in the right direction, but under the Payment Administration, all tribal youth who were willing to work and applied for a summer job, got one. This program does not cost a great deal. Certainly, keeping our kids working and out of trouble to earn money for school clothes should be a higher priority.

FY 2009 HR – Admin/Employment Budget Mod- This resolution is stated in such a convoluted way, it’s difficult to tell who is getting a raise, and who is being brought back from layoff. Insiders report that Lauri (McCoy) Henry is getting a raise and promotion as the Assistant HR Director. In 2005, when she initially did not qualify for the position, DJ Hoffman and Cathy Abramson (Henry’s son and sister) got Fred Paquin and Lana Causley to lower the qualifications for the HR Labor position so Lauri would qualify. Was this the reason Cheryl Bernier was moved out?

FY 2009/FY 2010 Legal Assistance Budget Mod – This resolution refers to an increase in a position but does not designate which position and what the justification is for increasing that position? This process should be open and transparent. In fact, all wages should be published like all other public entities. How else would you know whether or not the Chairperson and/or Tribal Board is not lining the pockets of key officials to buy their loyalty or increasing their family member’s salaries?

FY 2009 Lakefront Inn Budget/ FY 2009 Lakefront Inn Cap Ex – For years, the Lake Front Inn has not even kept pace with its debt package. Why then did we hold on to such a loser? The property is managed by none other than Fred Paquin’s ex-wife Wanda Paquin. The Board has seen the budget projections that show that the Lake Front will never post a profit. Bob LaPoint was proactive in 2005 in reporting several hotels in St. Ignace were closing down due to the economic downturn. If the market is constricting further, and the projections do not show a profit, it’s it time to sell the property? At least closing the doors, will eliminate labor costs. Fred’s gone so why cater to his ex-wife?

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Dear Tribal Member:

2009-04-09T19:50:00.000-07:00

For the last 9 months, a lot has happened in our Tribe. Greektown in peril and on the brink of a multi-million dollar loss to the Tribe. Long standing employee protection policies were abandoned. The Elder fund has been all but decimated. Tribal Member services and holiday events have been eliminated. The Elder check this year was cut from $1,600 to $600; for Tribal couples, they received a $2,000 cut. All while the Board secured their retirement and eliminated a tax liability for themselves through a convoluted referendum. The only budget that hasn’t taken a cut was the Board salaries. When I became Chair, I accepted a salary cut from $245,000 to $100,000. Maybe it is time you choose the salary of those who represent you via referendum. What's your opinion?

This Sault Tribe Updates Member blog is under development and is intended to be a news and information forum driven by you the Membership. We have suffered a void of information (the Black hole) from our tribal government as a result of the current administration. We saw the Communications Director fired for allowing the publishing of a letter to the editor that was critical of the Board salaries while they laid off about 150 people (for which 80% were our own people). A tribal member woman with a graduate degree who brought in $3million in new funding to the Tribe was fired after she broke her back coming to work at the Tribal headquarters. Then, a Board member's niece was promoted to her spot. Nathan Wright, candidate for Unit 1 Tribal Board, who supposedly lost this election by 3 votes, was terminated out of retribution. Who claimed his seat? None other than Bernard Bouschor. Who announced the termination throughout the local media? Michelle Bouschor (Bernard Bouschor’s daughter-in-law) who continues to draw a $70,000 salary.

Greektown Casino has lost $142,000,000 just since the current administration took office! So much for a business background. In the meantime, he has missed about half of all Tribal Board meetings and instead spends most his time securing ‘minority preference’ contracts for his private company on Tribal time. He also eliminated member meetings where you reside; cut out the Board meeting broadcasts locally and on-line, and silenced his critics by firing them. It is no wonder, those who may have a different agenda and support for the people, sit in silence on the Tribal Board.

In the next several weeks, we will try to compel updates on what is happening in Greektown. During our most serious crisis, you should be receiving more information, not less. The latest was an offer to buy Greektown that will likely mean a $300,000,000 loss to the Membership. Let’s not forget the original debt was incurred through a sweetheart deal offered up on a silver platter to the Greeks by Bernard Bouschor. $268,000,000 on a $24,000 investment! ‘Back to Business’ was his campaign slogan after all. Bruce Green, attorney out of Colorado reported to me that Bouschor signed the deal with no legal representation present. What did he get out of the deal? Does anyone really believe he didn’t get a kickback?

Stay tuned. During my administration, I saved a number of documents to share with the Membership when the time was right. These will enlighten you to some members of the Tribal Board. You be the judge, but look at least look at the documents and ask questions. A healthy democracy is one in which the citizens ask questions.

Thank you and have a Happy Easter.