Sisseton Woman Pleads Guilty to Stealing from Tribal Organization

United States Attorney Randolph J. Seiler announced today that Ann German, age 58, of Peever, South Dakota, pled guilty to one count of an Indictment charging her with Conspiracy to Commit Theft from an Indian Tribal Organization.

Indictment was filed October 6, 2015, charging German, along with Carrie Godfrey, a/k/a Carrie His Gun, a/k/a Carrie Kampeska, age 50, of Sisseton; Gerald German, Jr., age 46, of Peever; Calvin Max, Sr., age 50, of Sisseton; Gerald Heminger, Jr., age 58, of Sisseton; and Colette White, age 57, of Peever, with a conspiracy that began in June 2010, and continued through March 2013, to embezzle funds from the Big Coulee District of the Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate Tribe. German was also charged with one count of Embezzlement and Theft from an Indian Tribal Organization, and the other defendants were charged with two counts of that offense.

All of the defendants except Calvin Max, Sr. have pled guilty to at least one count of the Indictment.

German was the District Coordinator of the Big Coulee District, and the other defendants were executive board members of the District.

The District has several types of assistance that District members can apply for and receive, including home repair and emergency repair. The Indictment alleges that German, and the others, stole money from the District by writing themselves checks and/or receiving checks for false home repair and emergency repair assistance payments. In this manner, German and her co-defendants stole over $80,000 from the District. German received at least $3,000 of the stolen funds.

Each count of the Indictment carries a maximum possible sentence of 5 years in custody and/or a $250,000 fine, 3 years of supervised release, a $100 payment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund, and restitution.

The investigation is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ann M. Hoffman is prosecuting the case.

German is scheduled to be sentenced on September 1, 2017.

The case was brought pursuant to The Guardians Project, a federal law enforcement initiative to coordinate efforts between participating agencies to promote citizen disclosure of public corruption, fraud, and embezzlement involving federal program funds, contracts, and grants, and to hold accountable those who are responsible for adversely affecting those living in South Dakota’s Indian country communities. The Guardians Project is another step of federal law enforcement’s ongoing efforts to increase engagement, coordination, and positive action on behalf of tribal communities. Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the participating agencies include: Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Offices of Inspector General for the Departments of Interior, Health and Human Services, Social Security Administration, Agriculture, Transportation, Education, Justice, and Housing and Urban Development; Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division; U.S. Postal Inspector Service; U.S. Postal Service, Office of Inspector General.

For additional information about The Guardians Project, please contact the United States Attorney’s Office at (605) 330-4400. To report a suspected crime, please contact law enforcement at the federal agency’s locally listed telephone number.