Former Employee Admits Theft from Coeur d’Alene Tribe

COEUR D'ALENE—Angeline Morago George, 36, of Plummer, Idaho, and Portland, Oregon, pleaded guilty today in federal court to conspiracy to commit theft from a tribal organization, U.S. Attorney Wendy J. Olson announced. George and co-conspirator Billy E. Moffitt, 26, of Plummer and Lewiston, Idaho, were charged in a federal indictment on May 21, 2013. Moffitt pleaded guilty to the charge on August 20.

According to the plea agreement, Angeline George was employed by the Coeur d’Alene Tribal Housing Authority and was issued a credit card related to her duties. Between February 2 and February 23, 2013, George and Moffitt drove from the Coeur d’Alene reservation to Spokane, Washington, where George purchased $4,175.26 in money orders from local Money Tree stores. George or Moffitt would then cash the money orders and use the cash for their personal use and benefit. As part of their agreement with prosecutors, George and Moffitt agreed to pay restitution to the Coeur d’Alene Tribal Housing Authority.

The defendants each face up to five years in prison, a maximum fine of $250,000, and up to three years of supervised release.

George is scheduled to be sentenced on December 3, and Moffitt on November 5, 2013, before Chief U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill at the federal courthouse in Coeur d’Alene.

“Those who are entrusted with public funds have a solemn obligation to act in the public interest,” said Olson. “Ms. George violated the trust placed in her by the Coeur d’Alene Tribal Housing Authority, by putting personal gain ahead of her public obligation. Appropriately, Ms. George and her co-conspirator, Mr. Moffitt, will reimburse the Coeur d’Alene Tribe for the money they stole. I commend the Coeur d’Alene Tribal Police and the FBI for their thorough investigation of this case.”

The case was investigated by Coeur d’Alene Tribal Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.