How much was the Cobell settlement?
$3.4 billionThe Cobell settlement was approved by Congress on November 30, 2010 (Claims Resolution Act of 2010) and signed by President Obama on December 8, 2010. The $3.4 billion Cobell Settlement includes a $1.9 billion Trust Land Consolidation Fund and $1.5 billion in direct payments to class members.
What award did Ms Cobell win during the time of the trial?
Besides her MacArthur grant and status as a warrior, the Montana Trial Lawyers Association gave Cobell its annual Citizens Award in 2011.
What is the purpose of the Cobell lawsuit?
It was settled in 2009. The plaintiffs claim that the U.S. government has incorrectly accounted for the income from Indian trust assets, which are legally owned by the Department of the Interior, but held in trust for individual Native Americans (the beneficial owners).
What is a Cobell?
The Cobell Scholarship funds Native students who pursue post-secondary education. Read this guide to learn how to get it!
What did Elouise Cobell do?
She founded the first land trust in Indian Country and served as a Trustee for the Nature Conservancy of Montana. Cobell died at the age of 65 on October 16, 2011, in Great Falls, Montana, after a brief battle with cancer.
What was Eloise's lawsuit about?
It claimed that the Interior Department had stolen or squandered billions of dollars in royalties owed to individual tribal members, mostly in the West, in exchange for oil, gas and other leases.
How many American Indians accounts did the Cobell lawsuit ask the federal government to provide accounting for?
300,000 individual IndianThe Native American Rights Fund and private co-counsel filed this class action case in federal district court in Washington, D.C. in 1996 to force the federal government to provide an accounting to approximately 300,000 individual Indian money account holders who have their funds held in trust by the federal government ...
What is a Wau settlement?
Despite extensive efforts to contact all potential claimants, there still remain several thousand Individual Indian Money (IIM) account holders who are classified as “whereabouts unknown" (WAU). These WAU accounts total millions of dollars in potential settlement payments.
What is an individual Indian Money account?
An Individual Indian Money (IIM) account is an interest-bearing account managed by the Department of the Interior, Bureau of Trust Funds Administration (BTFA) on behalf of an individual who has money or other assets held in trust for them by the Federal government.
Is the Cobell Scholarship renewable?
The Cobell Scholarship is annual, non-renewable, and available to any post-secondary (after high school) student who is: an enrolled member of a US Federally-recognized Tribe (or can prove ¼ descent from multiple tribes), enrolled in or plans to enroll in full-time study and is degree-seeking while attending any ...
How do I find out if I have an IIM account?
If you aren't sure if you have an IIM account, you can request an IIM ledger report from the Office of the Special Trustee (OST). If you have an account, your IIM ledger report will tell you your balance and any deposits made into the account since it was established.
What is the number to call for Cobell Settlement?
Provide information to the call center of Garden City Group (GCG), the claims administrator for the Cobell Settlement, at their toll-free number, 1-800-961-6109. I have tried to contact both the Garden City Group and then the Trust Beneficiary Call Center and have not been able to get through. I encounter a busy signal or a message ...
Who is responsible for Cobell settlement?
GCG, the claims administrator for the Cobell Settlement, is responsible for settlement payments and mailing those checks. Please direct questions about payments and to update your information to GCG at their toll-free number: 1-800-961-6109. TBCC can answer questions about your Individual Indian Money (IIM) account and your trust assets.
Why is TBCC working?
TBCC is also working to increase infrastructure and personnel resources so that it can respond to the high volume of calls being received. Until these changes are accomplished, OST extends regrets for the delays and thanks each caller for showing patience.
When were IIM funds wired to the Department of the Interior?
Why were IIM funds wired to the Department of the Interior on December 21, 2012, not available until December 27, 2012?
Why is it important to keep contact information up to date with OST and GCG?
Keeping your information up to date with GCG will assist them in making Trust Administration Class payments (also referred to as Stage 2 payments), if you are a member of that class.
WHO IS IN THE SETTLEMENT?
The Settlement includes two groups or "Classes." An individual may be a member of one or both Classes. Most people included in the Settlement are members of both Classes.
What is settlement in Indian trust?
The Settlement is an agreement between the Plaintiffs and the federal government. Settlements end lawsuits. This does not mean the Court has ruled in favor of either side. The parties wish to resolve their differences and realize that many Class Members are elderly and dying and need to receive compensation. In addition, large numbers of Class Members currently live in poverty. So, after 14 years of litigation, both sides want to settle the lawsuit so individual Indian trust beneficiaries receive compensation for their claims. The Settlement will also help the federal government reduce future administration expenses and accounting issues. Class Representatives and lawyers representing them believe that the Settlement is reasonable under the circumstances.
How much is the IIM payment?
The $100 million in the Trust Administration Adjustment Fund will be used to increase the minimum payment for Trust Administration Class Members. The current estimate is that will raise the minimum payment to Trust Administration Class Members to about $800. Individuals with an IIM account open between 1985 and September 30, 2009 may receive more than $800. This payment is separate from, and in addition to, the $1,000 payment to individuals in the Historical Accounting Class.
What to do if you disagree with a second determination?
If you disagree with your second determination and wish to file an appeal, you need to submit a signed letter to the Claims Administrator stating your wish to appeal the second determination of your eligibility. The signed letter must be postmarked no later than September 4, 2013.
What is a class action lawsuit?
In a Class Action, one or more people called "Class Representatives" sue on behalf of themselves and other people who have similar claims and allegations. All of these people are Plaintiffs.
When did the Special Master's order come into effect?
The Special Master's July 16, 2013 and April 17, 2015 orders authorize the Claims Administrator to use small estate procedures from specific states to distribute settlement funds to estates and heirs of deceased Class Members when no state or tribal court order, no probated will, and no legally-appointed executor or administrator exists.
Can you sell Indian trust land?
The procedures for selling trust land have not been determined at this point. Once those procedures have been determined, the Department of the Interior will attempt to contact individual Indian trust beneficiaries who own fractionated interests that it wishes to purchase.
