News of C&A Atty. Is this the same gaming Atty the Caddos have?

This was on the front page of the Daily Oklahoman. Atty took money "directly" from Lucky Star casino.

Wed June 25, 2008


Audit reveals millions misspent by tribal legislator

WORLD WIDE WEB
• Audit Shows Tribes Misspent Funds
ABC 8 Tulsa (KTUL) | 6/25/2008
• Audit of Cheyenne-Arapaho tribes shows misspent funds
CBS 9 Oklahoma City (KWTV) | 6/25/2008



By Tony Thornton
Staff Writer
CONCHO — A Cheyenne and Arapaho legislator improperly diverted $8.8 million to a bank account he controlled, a federal audit shows.
Coincidentally, Robert Wilson also was among the tribal legislators who requested the audit by the National Indian Gaming Commission, hoping it would uncover wrongdoing by the tribes' governor.

Instead, the audit found money was misspent only by the two tribes' legislative branch.
Although the $8.8 million wasn't spent according to a federally approved revenue allocation plan, it ultimately went toward tribal government programs, auditors found. At the time, Wilson was the tribes' interim treasurer.
Gov. Darrell Flyingman said the audit report proved that the tribes' executive branch "is running an honest government, that we're accountable and following federal guidelines.”
Flyingman said when he heard last August that some political rivals wanted the audit, he made the same request.
"I welcomed it,” he said.
So why would legislators seek an audit that would expose their own apparent misdeeds?
"They're idiots,” Flyingman said Tuesday. "I'm baffled.”
Wilson said he asked the National Indian Gaming Commission for a copy of the audit report but was told they would send one only to Flyingman. He said Flyingman hasn't responded to his request for one.
As for Flyingman's statement that some legislators are "idiots,” Wilson said: "I don't think that's true.
"I still believe to this day that there's wrongdoing. He knows it and I know it,” Wilson said.
What the audit found
The National Indian Gaming Commission regulates casinos owned by American Indian tribes. The Cheyenne and Arapaho audit, released in late May, covers fiscal years 2006 and 2007. Among its findings:
•The two tribes received $26.6 million in 2006 and $26.8 million in 2007 from their three casinos. The vast majority came from the tribes' Lucky Star casinos at Concho and Clinton.
•The tribes' Feather Warrior casino at Watonga had no formal policy for distributing revenue. As a result, the casino made sporadic distributions to the tribes, ranging from $75,000 to $500,000.

An attorney hired by the tribes' legislative branch was paid $127,296.74 directly from one of the two Lucky Star casinos. The tribes' constitution allows the governor to negotiate and sign attorney contracts. Because Flyingman never signed the contract, the attorney payments were improper, auditors said.

The former tribal council coordinator made unauthorized credit card purchases totaling $4,030 and kept the merchandise for his own use.
Flyingman said the former employee, David Bearshield, faces criminal charges in tribal court over the purchases, which Flyingman said included a lawn mower and a vacuum cleaner.
"He's on the run,” Flyingman said, adding that Bearshield's last known location was in Montana.
Power feud to blame?
A power struggle between Flyingman and a majority of the tribes' eight legislators caused a nearly two-year governmental stalemate.

A separate audit, ordered by the tribes' court system, is due for release in August. That one, performed by a public accounting firm, focuses on actions involving the Lucky Star's former management company, Southwest Casino and Hotel Corp.

I guess this is what we will also have to look forward to.

Be careful how you read this article. If I am reading this correctly, it says that the C&A's "paid" the attorney directly from one of the Lucky Star casinos, it does not say that the attorney "took" money from a Lucky Star casino.

How the C&A's decided to pay the lawyer was their decision &/or mistake and they alone would be the ones at fault, not the lawyer. Does anybody else read this the same way?

Agree. It looks like the payment to the attorney was unauthorized which would be an error on the person(s) at the tribe, not the attorney. I have seen similar instances with other tribes as well; this must be a common thing.

But this begs the question: Why is Richard Grellner still the Caddo gaming attorney?

For those that don't know - Grellner was brought to the Caddos (at least as far as I know, although I've been told differently) by the potential developer, Beau Lange. What is wrong with this picture? The tribe using the same attorney as the developer? Or at least "given" to the tribe by the developer.

Another point: Wasn't he the attorney of record for the miserably failed Apache casino in New Mexico?

Last point: Even if all else is kosher (Caddo word) with Grellner, does it bother anyone else that he is the attorney for the C$A's, our nearest competitor on I40? Maybe that is why, after all these years, nothing has been completed there.

Why is the Gaming Commission negoitating with potential devleopers/managers of our casino(s)?

Does anyone else see anything wrong with this picture also: the Gaming Commission is negoitiationg with the very entity that they will be regulating?

I hear that there is another Goodman on the Gaming Commission. I was in the audience a couple of years ago when "Dr" Debbie Goodman's big shot attorney husband tried to railroad a deal through us poor stupid Caddos as a specactular deal, with some kinky variations. There were those who knew that is was only a standard deal NIGC deal with some fringe benefits attached.

When it didn't pass the membership, after much discussion of the floor, she resigned as a Gaming Commissioner. Seems she might have reappeared...

There is a lot to be corrected, imxo.

Right Rhett! Why is Grellner still Caddo Attorney? Heard the membership wanted to get rid of him. Shoulda done it. Didn't Grellner recommend Southwest to the Caddos? Didn't Grellner take $48,000 directly from ONNAM?

Richard Grellner has been making his living off the backs of Native Americans for years. Poor choice from the get go. Thats what happens when uneducated, in some cases educated, people make uneducated decisions when bringing these people on board. Adam Apple says they're okay so what the hell lets hire him!

Couldn't help bringing up the same old names: Rick Grellner, Beau Lange, Frank Schnook. Agree with Rhett Sodipop: WHY ARE THESE PEOPLE STILL WITH US??

Indigenous: Agree with you. And now the Caddos have Brian Foster, ex-C&A Casino manager.

This is a good reminder! Caddos need to keep this message in front. Keep reminding us that the same guys are still with us: Rick Grellner, Frank Shnook & Beau Lange, Brian Foster, now and NORAM.

Need more information about Goodman, atty. Resurfaced in what way? I know Todd Goodman is running for Chairman.

Grellner tried to get paid from the C & A but they refused because he could not produce proper invoices and such, He then appealed it to the BIA and they agreed with the tribes. So, he went directly to his friend Brian Foster at the casino, and the legislature said pay him. Point is, he knew the money he was paid was not approved by the proper authorities and took it anyway.
Here is other information: the so called council five, terrible ladies, hahah fired Grellner because of his relationship with the developers and he told our current chairman that she could borrow 10,000.00 from YGI,mind you this was without council knowledge and membership approval. When council five found out, they told him he would be fired at the next council meeting and he was. But what they didn't know was he, Parker Hinse and Kodaseet kept meeting in OKC with Beau Lange , and Joe Exidine. Making plans and such. Point is, and it begs the question, Parker once thought he hung the moon, what has changed with that relationship to make her dog him now.
We have had Grellner since she has been Chairman and no casino. Wonder if he is trying to delay it so his other clients will not lose money at their casinos

Did Grellner take $$$ from ONNAM? Who do I contact for more info on this subject ... yes it is 2012 and the convo took place in 2008 it is still relevant. Thanks email me at pennyredman9@gmail.com

Onnam (or True Gaming as it was named later) paid the Tribe. The Tribe then paid Mr. Grellner.

If you go online and read the Grant Thornton Audit for the C&A tribes casino issues...everything is there. He "took" the money means he took money that he did not earn. Lucky Star Casino's "manager" is Brian Foster. Foster is Grellner's business partner in Frost Entertainment a very shady operation no website...nothing. Anyway, then you had the Legislators back in 2008 who wanted then governor Darrell Flyingman out. He had already cleaned out 17 or so embezzlers who were tribal members during that particular Legislature which was maybe the 3rd Legislature body. Ida Hoffman who is a big under the radar player as is one of the dueling governors and you know how it goes one person "helps" another to money etc. etc.

Grellner and his sidekick Mike Copperthite and you all - really need to watch these two fktards...they created a newspaper targeting then Gov Flyingman paid to have it published and circulated to all tribal members. The "headline" of every article in that paper stated that Darrell Flyingman took millions of dollars from the tribes, was a cheat a bad man etc, etc,they must have used the Carl Rove playbook.

It is so easy to say this is not true...but if you go online and search his name in connection to this allegation or perform any type of research as I did to find out what Flyingman stole...nothing! It was all a lie. What they ended up nailing Flyingman on was having his house fixed up by the elderly housing program (which under governor #1 Boswell of the dueling governors...that fed program is now gone)
Flyingman it turns out was eligible for that housing repair or remodel job because of his age and being a tribal member. He ended up paying the housing authority for that work to settle the matter and shut these people up which it did not.

Want to get rid of Grellner? Research. Look up Mike Copperthite while you are at it they are both in business of ripping off tribes and dividing the people this is what happened with the C&A tribes, look up Grellner and Kiowa triba, Commanche tribe, Apache tribe, Caddos Muskgee Creek Nation (they have a good blog) there are others we just have not found them yet. After you do your research then go "First Amendment" and let people know, it is your right to speak out. But then, it appears you already know this.

Who are you? Richard Grellner among other crimes took money that was not owed him. You sound like damage control.

I'm someone who knows the entire process of what happened with the Caddo's, Onnam, and Noram. When the Tribe hired Mr. Flipping, he discovered that Mr. Grellner was getting payments directly from Onnam and Noram. Mr. Flipping brought that inappropriate proceedure to the attention of Mrs. Parker. She brought it to the attention of Tribal Council, and from that point forward (which was very early in the process), the Tribe received payments as proscribed in the development documents, and the Tribe then paid Mr. Grellner according to his bill that was presented to Tribal Council.

Odd there should be a response practically absolving Grellner from any wrong doing...typical and expected.

Who is Mr.Flipping?

That would be me, and you are?

What's stated above as to how the payments were and how it was corrected is accurate.