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More than 400,000 Native Americans from numerous tribal groups received an early Christmas present last week when the federal government began mailing them $1,000 checks under the landmark $3.4 billion Cobell v. Salazar class action lawsuit settlement.
The Cobell v. Salazar settlement was one of the largest class actions ever filed against the United States, and accused the government of mismanaging money owed to Native Americans under trust funds. The alleged mismanagement dated as far back as the 1880s.
The Indian trust class action settlement was originally settled in December 2009 and later approved by Congress in November 2010. An appeal was filed and the case was held up in court for nearly two years. In May 2012, an appeals court rejected the appeal and upheld the $3.4 billion Indian trust settlement as fair, reasonable and adequate.
On December 12, 2012, the court filed an order directing the Claims Administrator to commence distribution of payments to Class Members no later than December 24, 2012. However, there are thousands of eligible Class Members that have still not filed claims.
According to the Claims Administrator, nearly 40,000 Historical Accounting Class Members are shown as “whereabouts unknown,” and another 10,000 have no contact information in the records furnished by Interior. If you are a member of the Historical Accounting Class and are not currently receiving statements on your IIM account from the government, then you need to provide contact information to the Claims Administrator by calling 1-800-961-6109 or entering the information at www.IndianTrust.com.
In addition, the court has entered a final deadline for submission of claims for the Indian trust class action lawsuit settlement. Any claim forms must be postmarked by March 1, 2013. Claim Forms and more information on the Cobell v. Salazar Indian Trust Class Action Lawsuit Settlement can be found online at www.IndianTrust.com.
UPDATE 1: Second Cobell v. Salazar Settlement Checks Expected Early 2014.
UPDATE 2: More than 30,000 Class Members of the Cobell v. Salazar Indian trust class action settlement are still awaiting payments. Class Counsel explains why.
UPDATE 3: According to the Settlement Administrator, the final round of payments from the Indian Trust settlement could be made in early Fall 2014.
UPDATE 4: A federal judge approved the distribution of payments to more than 15,000 Class Members whose records were missing from the Department of Interior. The first checks were mailed Sept. 15, 2014. Learn more.
UPDATE 5: If you were an Indian Trust beneficiary, you may be entitled to payment from a $3.4 billion class action settlement. More than 30,000 individuals could qualify for benefits from the Indian Trust settlement. Update your contact information and file a claim by Nov. 27, 2017 to get cash from this settlement.
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80 thoughts onCobell v. Salazar Indian Trust Settlement Checks Mailed!
This just goes to show you that there are idiots everywhere and there are people who don’t know how to do the job they are hired to do. In the 3rd week of January 2013, I received a check for a thousand dollars. However, my oldest daughter got her check for a thousand on December 18, 2012 and notified me…I started my claim at that time no knowing I had a check in the mail to my former address. Today, May 5, 2013, I received a letter stating that I am ineligible. So, go figure! idiots everywhere!
My family has not received a check either… We are beginning to wonder if we ever will. I feel for most of the Tribal Members because most of us live in poverty and can not afford to even call the numbers. I have called all numbers given and the only one that answered me was from my own tribe telling me they do not know either. GOOD LUCK to all.
FLATHEAD TRIBE….. I would like to know why we didnt receive the FULL PAYMENT…. for the settlement when other tribes received theirs. We received $10,000 when the FULL amount was supposed to $19,000. That money was designated for individual accounts as ordered by OBAMA. I think this should be examined by the original distributors of the settlement. Or is this information just swept under the rug of the tribal counsel members. I work for a living and I make $24,000 a year. I am the working poor. I am living in poverty according to the living wage standards. I need that money! It’s not fair! And it’s not fair to make us wait, especially to those in need!
hi i still did’nt get my check from before i was just wondering when i will recieve an check.
People on the rez dont have to pay nothing and they already get stuff for free thatshouldbe good enough. Most people work for what they got and cant even get commodies cause they make too much money .But its not about the rez people they get alot for free handouts . I would love to get some bufflo meat or deer meat . I have 3 brothers and3 sisters who also didnt get their checks. Most people are greedy when it comes to money that was coming to the heirs who had land back then . My grandmother had oil and property back then. To me people just want and take what doesnt belong to them. Like i said Not everyone is getting the settlement.
The other half of my check will be disbursted in July sometime they said boy i suredoneed it
I had gotten mine back in Jan and yesif youare having problems with this listen not everyone will get it unless you have filed a claim with them. My check was good my bank didnt close myaccount . My sisters and brothers have not got their checks cause they are to lazytocheck in to it . That is their fault for not filing theclaim
I would like to talk to Whoever is in charge of this whole thing , I want an answer and not that my claim is being diligenlty beinging looked at !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
your firm needs to be held resposnible for your mis-management of records
why won’t you post