Former Tribal Chairman under federal investigation for misusing casino funds

A former Louisiana Tribal Chairman has been placed under federal investigation for alleged misuse of funds.

The man at the heart of the allegations is Jonathan Cernek, who presided as the chairman of the Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana from June 2021 until his resignation in August 2024.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the National Indian Gaming Commission, and the Louisiana State Police are all looking into the actions of Cernek and a probe into the handling of, and the financial misappropriation of, casino funds.

As reported by Native News Online, Cernek spent nearly a decade as a member of the Tribal Council and served as Vice President for the Pelican state.

A source close to the developing story stated to the Indigenous American news outlet that the investigation focuses on the Lake Charles area and certain senior figures involved in the Coushatta Tribal scene have stepped down or distanced themselves in the wake of the allegations.

“This is a big deal. People are talking about it,” a former casino employee broke to the news site. “It was difficult to stomach what was happening, especially because the chairman was doing good things for tribal elders.”

The FBI has already interviewed the credible source that Native News Online notes as a key witness to the allegations, and the process took the individual three hours to complete.

According to the news provider, the source had “knowledge of at least $350,000 in personal charges made on two casino credit cards allegedly used by Cernek. These expenses, the source said, were unrelated to the operation of the Coushatta Casino Resort.”

Seven Louisiana individuals have been reportedly earmarked for questioning by the FBI and other authorities, and the focus of the investigation could be linked to the $150 million expansion of the Coushatta Casino Resort.

The FBI and other investigating parties are yet to make an official statement, but it looks like Louisiana’s Coushatta Tribe’s vacant chairman seat will remain empty for the foreseeable future.

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