Former MBCI tribal council member pleads guilty to wire fraud

A former elected member of the tribal council for the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians, pleading guilty to federal wire fraud.

Randy Lamar Anderson, of Conehatta, plead guilty before Chief U.S. District Judge Daniel P. Jordan the 3rd, last Thursday.

Anderson was originally indicted in February of 2019, and charged with 1 count of theft and 2 counts of wire fraud for defrauding the Choctaw Tribal Government.

Between August 2016 and November 2018, Anderson allegedly forged hotel bills and receipts and submitted those documents to the tribal government for reimbursement for official business travel.

Since the original indictment issued, Anderson’s term on the tribal council expired, and he did not run for reelection to the council.

Anderson faces a potential maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, and a possible fine of up to $250,000.