Couple charged with stealing $4.7 million from South Dakota tribe
Patrick Ross, 55, and Buffy Redfish, 56, accused of using Oglala Sioux funds to buy houses, vehicles
The alleged embezzlement of nearly $5 million from a tribal government in western South Dakota has two people facing up to two decades in prison.
The office of United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced Tuesday that a federal grand jury have indicted a Porcupine man and a Rushville, Nebraska, woman for conspiracy to commit wire fraud, 22 counts of wire fraud, and seven counts of money laundering.
After being indicted in December, Patrick Ross, 55, and Buffy Redfish, 56, entered not guilty pleas in federal court on Wednesday, Jan. 8 and Monday, Jan. 13, respectively.
The two are accused of orchestrating a scam that bilked $4.7 million from the Oglala Sioux Tribe between May 2017 and May 2024. During that time, Redfish worked for the tribe’s Tribal Employment Rights Office (TERO), when she allegedly began diverting TERO fee checks into Ross’s bank account. The pair then split the embezzled funds between themselves and used the funds for their own personal benefit, including buying homes and vehicles, according to authorities.
Ross is a member of the Oglala Sioux Tribe. Redfish is a member of Arizona’s Gila Tribe.
If convicted, they each face a maximum penalty up to 20 years in federal custody and $50,000 fines.
Ross and Redfish were released on bond until their trial, scheduled for March 25.
Think they should make them pay restitution of $4.7 million, but I highly doubt they would ever pay it back.
Quick ban Noem from another reservation,,, has to be her doing,, she said something or did something to make this happen