Julian Bear Runner, former Oglala Sioux Tribe president, stood before U.S. Magistrate Judge Daneta Wollman in a Rapid City, South Dakota, courtroom and pleaded not guilty to eight counts of wire fraud, larceny, embezzlement and theft.
Bear Runner is accused of stealing $80,000 from the Tribe during his tenure as president. The 37-year-old made his not-guilty plea in a federal courthouse last week. He was indicted last fall. His trial is scheduled for May 2.
It is alleged in court documents that Bear Runner made travel arrangements for flights, hotel and food from a period between January 2019 through January 2020. The indictment claims Bear Runner never took the trips, but kept the money earmarked for them. He served as president from 2018 to 2020, losing a reelection bid.
“Despite knowing he had not traveled and that he was not entitled to the travel funds, Bear Runner fraudulently submitted vouchers claiming he was going to travel and was entitled to travel funds. Bear Runner would then take the travel checks and would use the embezzled funds for his own personal use, including cashing the checks and spending the funds at the Prairie Wind Casino on the Pine Ridge Reservation,” the indictment alleges.
Bear Runner is facing a maximum penalty of up to 20 years in prison, and/or a $250,000 fine, three years of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
