The former president of the Northern Cheyenne Tribe was sentenced to six months in federal prison for fraud Thursday.
Lawrence J. Killsback of Busby was sentenced Thursday for a reimbursement scheme that resulted in the state, tribal governments and federal agencies paying him thousands of dollars for fraudulent travel expenses.
Prosecutors say that during his tenure as president and previously as the tribe’s health director, Killsback double dipped and sometimes triple dipped his travel expenses, filing them across multiple agencies, including the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
In July, he pleaded guilty to wire fraud and false claims conspiracy.
Now he’ll serve six months in federal prison, three months of supervised release and have to pay more than $25,000 in restitution.
Killsback told investigators that travel fraud happens all the time on the reservation, where he says there's a culture of fraud. He said he knew of he scheme.
He is not in custody and is allowed to self-surrender to a facility that is yet to be determined.
Olivia Reingold is Yellowstone Public Radio's Report For America corps member.
