Tribal Member Convicted of Mail Fraud for Submitting a False Claim to the OST

The OIG investigated the alleged theft of a U.S. Treasury check paid to Cheryle Jordan for land that Jordan sold through the U.S. Department of the Interior’s (DOI’s) Land Buy-Back Program for Tribal Nations. Jordan filed a claim with the Office of Special Trustee for American Indians (OST) stating she never received the check. After Jordan filed her claim, however, the OST determined the check had been cashed.

We determined Jordan falsely reported the check as stolen. Jordan admitted she mailed a false claim to fraudulently obtain a second check. She subsequently pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court for the District of Montana to mail fraud and was sentenced to 2 years’ probation.