Northern Cheyenne protest handling of fundraising lawsuit settlement

BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) – Members of the Northern Cheyenne tribe are protesting the way the tribal council is handling payments toward an $11 million settlement in a lawsuit over fundraising for the St. Labre Indian School.

The Billings Gazette reports protesters want the money distributed to tribal members, not put in the tribe’s permanent fund. They gathered outside a tribal building in Lame Deer on Sunday.

The lawsuit claimed the Roman Catholic mission school marketed the tribe’s poverty in its fundraising, but did not share any of the proceeds with the tribe. The settlement calls for $11 million in payments from 2014 to 2019.

Officials in the tribal president’s office said the tribe cannot comment on the settlement.

–––

Information from: The Billings Gazette, http://www.billingsgazette.com