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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!
Seems like there are alot of people who didn’t receive any money!Although they were and are eligible.I did everything they asked,from the moment I received the packet.I was told that I qualified to receive both payouts.Never received the first!I really think this is a hit or miss situation and someone is profitting.I’ve yet to see any questions answered!
its unfair to members on list to not receive payments automatic . if your on a list to get a settlement ,then we should receive it no matter what or if we missed signing up to get the payment. that money is ours. if a member didn’t know of this payment or know about it then what happens? where does money go? or stuck at home with no acknowledge of what was going on back then.yeah even disabled and can’t go no where because no car to get around? so unfair I should know because it happen to me. whrs my zhoonz ,its mine , I want it now. disappointed member! will I be eligible to receive whats rightfully mine? kinda late but still unfair n just
I owned land from october 2001 to 2013 my abstract reads on hwy 152 three miles west of Binger, Oklahoma 73009. it is a fragnated parcel pieace of property near indian territory in the newsletter and the form to file a claim I sent in copies of all my deeds to my land and a copy of my abstact also. i qualified for all classes. I am not sure but at the court house in anadarko oklahoma they also pulled up other property under Jennifer Buster that was put in my name in 2005. How much land do I really own am i an heir to to other land or is it held up by the goverment in in probate. my deceaced grandparents names are Floyd Foster,and his wife is Lucille foster. And my other grandfater name is Lee Roy James Tee-win-in both of Binger OKLAHOMA 73009. He is of the CADDO tribehis identification no:is806u005124 and his probate cace was p000071880 IP. i also sent in all the information on him. I did get my first check but not the second check. I no other s are getting big settlements for being land owners well I am a single owner of the fracnated parcel pieace of property so why am i not getting a big settlement also . i do not get a IIM accout statement in the mail either how do i find out how to get my case looked at . I should be involed in in the land and be receiving the bigger settlement checks also. I have been working on this on the phone with you from the start and i have been told different amounts ever time they keep getting smaller. and been told i would have got my check in december of2013 AND STILLNothing Nor why I am not getting what others have got for the property that was worth the most in the settlement form I want information on this please and i dont want to be cheated out of my setttlement money either. When wiill i get my check . Please take the names i have givin u and they are held at the Andarko court house, and at the BIA office in Andarko okla. i want help with this please I cant get anybody to tell me anything. sincerly jennifer brook kellogg.
Why
Really don’t understand how that some people have gotten their 2nd payment? Shouldn’t direct deposit be faster then a check?
hey im enrolled yakama and the cobelle said im not enrolld…. my mother father even my daughtr got a cobblele check but i never how come??? its like they crossd me out… was even told by an operater that im not enrolld… the hand book states im able to recieve one even the tribe says im able too.. but cobbele says im not… why cross me out… its like im gettn rippd off… plus upset the cobbele settlement says im not gettn one and sayn im not enrolld…. its b.s. if u ask me…
A letter was mailed out yesterday did anyone receive this letter yet?
Reading some of these comments just shows us that there are still injustice done to all tribes and individuals. Please enroll in your tribe and call all relatives or write a letter asking them for their family tree to help you. I have worked on my mothers land being given to her rightful heirs for 21 years. I didn’t give up and I am still working on it. I am a very stubborn Oglala Sioux and I will not give up.
I am qualified to receive the first payment, have sent e mail, birhcertificate, name change (adopted) current address, I inquired in February 2012. I missed the deadline for the Historical, but I do qualify. I am dyslexic, paper illiterate and I didn’t know how to apply for the Historical, but I did qualify for it. I need an appeal from the court as I have inquired about the Historical before the deadline, but didn’t know how to apply for it.
I was enrolled in the tribe long, long ago. My address and correct last name were not known by the tribe.
People, seems everybody is having problems with this claim, but this part is just for comments…go through the claims part and do all the peperwork and make sure your mailing adress is changed at the post office as well. Good luck.