Investigative Report of Alleged Grant Fraud In Connection to BIE Reorganization

We investigated allegations that former Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) Director Charles “Monty” Roessel used educational grants to induce Indian tribes to lobby Congress in support of a proposal to reorganize BIE, and that BIE staff may have violated anti-lobbying restrictions in the process. While we found no evidence that Roessel and his staff were using educational grants as inducements, our investigation revealed that Roessel used questionable judgment by instructing one of his staff members to draft letters to Congress voicing support for the reorganization, which the tribes were to revise and sign. 

 

We provided a report of our investigation to Lawrence Roberts, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Indian Affairs, for review and action.