Former North Dakota tribal official pleads guilty to bribery

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — A former authorities official of the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation accused of accepting bribes and kickbacks from a building contractor pleaded responsible Tuesday to federal costs in North Dakota.

Randall Phelan, 58, of Mandaree, North Dakota, was an elected consultant of the governing physique of the Three Affiliated Tribes from the top of 2012 to the center of 2020. Investigators mentioned Phelan used his official place to assist the contractor’s enterprise by awarding contracts, fabricating bids and managing fraudulent invoices.

His trial had been scheduled to start Tuesday.

Phelan and two others have been initially charged with receiving lots of of 1000’s of {dollars} from the bribery scheme that lasted for eight years on the oil-rich Fort Berthold Indian Reservation. The contractor has pleaded responsible to bribery and has been cooperating with prosecutors. Prosecutors mentioned the enterprise acquired greater than $17 million over the previous decade for building work on the reservation.

Phelan pleaded responsible to conspiracy to commit bribery regarding applications receiving federal funds, trustworthy providers wire fraud and bribery regarding applications receiving federal funds. He faces a most penalty of 20 years in jail. Sentencing is ready for Feb. 22.

Michael Hoffman, an legal professional for Phelan, didn’t instantly reply to an e mail request looking for remark.

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