Contractor found guilty in federal corruption case of defrauding Chippewa Cree

BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) – A Billings contractor has been convicted of defrauding the Chippewa Cree Tribe and bribing tribal officials to get preferential treatment for $2.5 million in federally funded contracts.

The Billings Gazette reports  a jury found Kevin McGovern guilty of conspiracy and scheme to defraud the tribe and the federal government and bribery. His company, CMG Construction, was convicted of the same charges.

McGovern is accused of paying kickbacks to tribal officials in exchange for noncompetitive and unadvertised construction contracts for projects paid for with federal aid money.

McGovern was charged in the scheme along with former tribal officials Tony Belcourt and Chance Houle and James Howard Eastlick, Jr., a business partner of Belcourt’s. The other three men were all convicted and sentenced to prison.

McGovern’s sentencing is set for February.

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Information from: The Billings Gazette, http://www.billingsgazette.com