Contributed Article/Courtesy San Carlos Apache Tribe
San Carlos Apache Reservation – On Saturday, the San Carlos Council, the governing body of the San Carlos Apache Tribe, announced that a forensic accounting firm has been hired to review the Tribe’s Funeral Assistance Program.
Pursuant to Motion No. 232-2026 (May 14, 2026), the Council placed four employees who had worked on the Program previously on paid administrative leave pending an internal review of accounts related to the Program. None of the employees has been accused of any wrongdoing.
A request for quotes was sent to multiple accounting firms, and the company selected by the Council has extensive experience in forensic audits and internal control reviews. The review will take several weeks to complete, and details on the final report will be made public to members of the tribe. The Council will take any necessary action pending the outcome of the audit.
The Program was established in fiscal year 2019 to provide financial assistance to San Carlos Apache families that lost an enrolled member, or a family member related to a member of the Tribe (spouse or sibling) who was not enrolled in the Tribe. This is a longstanding Program that plays a vital charitable role in supporting members of the Tribe in times of need.
The Tribe remains committed to ensuring that all funds are accurately accounted for. Employees of the Program will remain on paid administrative leave while the accounts are reviewed by the auditing firm, in accordance with established policies.
Because this involves personnel matters and the large number of transactions, the Tribe will not provide further comments on the individuals involved or details of the review process at this time.
The Tribe’s operations and services will continue without interruption.
