Former Band Officials Guilty Of Taking TLE Money

Friday, May 27, 2005 at 15:04

Three former high-ranking officials at the Saulteaux First Nation have been found guilty of criminal breach of trust.

They include former chief Gabe Gopher.

A judge has found that Gopher, former band councillor Mervin Night and former treaty land entitlement trustee Archie Moccasin used almost one million dollars in band TLE money for themselves.

They’ve also been found guilty of illegally diverting several hundred thousand dollars in TLE funds to family and friends.

The withdrawals from the band’s TLE account took place in 1997 and 1998.

The three men will be sentenced on August 29th.

The maximum sentence for a breach of trust conviction is 14 years in prison.