The former chairman of the tribe that runs one of the world's largest casinos and his brother, the tribe's treasurer, have been charged with stealing a combined $800,000 from their Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation, federal prosecutors in Connecticut said Friday.
The indictments returned by a federal grand jury in Hartford follow a lengthy FBI investigation at the tribe's tiny reservation in rural southeastern Connecticut, where it owns and operates Foxwoods Resort Casino.
The former chairman, Michael Thomas, 44, is accused of stealing more than $100,000 between 2007 and 2009 during his tenure as leader of the tribal council, a position he was ousted from over his handling of the tribe's finances.
His brother, treasurer Steven Thomas, 38, allegedly stole more than $700,000 between 2005 and 2008 when he was assistant director of the tribe's natural resources department.
A tribal spokesman did not immediately respond to a request for comment, nor did attorneys for each of the two defendants.
The two men are each charged with one count of theft from an Indian tribal organization and two counts of theft from an Indian tribal government receiving federal funds. They are each due to appear Monday in U.S. District Court in New Haven.
Michael Thomas was forced out as chairman after pledging to put distributions to tribal members ahead of the tribe's debt even as the tribe was looking to restructure more than $2 billion in debt after taking a huge hit from the recession.
The tribe, which once made annual payments exceeding $100,000 to adult members, defaulted on its debt in 2010. The tribe eliminated the revenue-sharing payments last year and succeeded in striking a deal to restructure its debt.
Steven Thomas was elected to the tribal council in November.
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