Investigation of Theft of Healy Lake Funds

Working with the FBI, we investigated allegations that Joanne Lorry Polston, First Chief, Healy Lake Village, AK (HLV), misappropriated Federal funds awarded to HLV by the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA). 

 

We found that Polston, while serving as the tribal administrator, stole between $49,000 and $56,000 from HLV. On September 9, 2015, Polston pleaded guilty to one count of conversion of Government funds and one count of conversion of tribal funds. She was sentenced to 90 days’ home confinement and 3 years’ probation, and was ordered to pay $4,577.61 in restitution to BIA and $102,860.20 to HLV. She was also debarred for 1 year from conducting business with the Federal Government. 

 

We provided BIA a summary of our case for information only.