Yurok Tribal Council suspends, ends councilmember for fraud – Times-Standard

Last Tuesday, the Yurok Tribal Council found that councilmember Sherri Provolt committed fraud by netting $107,000 from selling land she partially owned to the Yurok Indian Housing Authority. Provolt maintained her innocence but promised to resign by the end of the month.

An investigation initiated by the tribal council found that she was part of a family trust that owned a plot of land near Orick, land she then suggested YIHA should buy, a deal that earned her six-figures worth of tribal funds in 2022. During separate votes in the meeting, the majority of the council agreed she provided false information that caused harm to tribal members, committed fraud and corruption of office and used her official position in improper ways. The council voted 5-2 to fine Provolt $1,600, suspend her from all nonconstitutional mandated activities, bar her from several tribal council reimbursement programs issued letter of censorship shared with tribal members.

The vote followed an investigation into the sale, detailed in a Yurok Ethics Review Board report from July 31 provided to the Times-Standard. Maggie Mais, deputy general counsel for the Yurok Tribe, said during the meeting that the investigation examined 275 pages of documents, commissioned a report from a private investigator, requested outside legal counsel opinion, and held a hearing with all parties.

In emails obtained by the investigators, Provolt disclosed the property was owned by her in-laws. In 2021, a year before the purchase and close of escrow, Provolt emailed the YIHA that the three-acre parcel seemed to be a good fit for building tribal housing.

“I will disclose that this property is my family-in-laws property so I don’t want to continue to be involved due to conflict,” she wrote as part of an email to the executive director of the YIHA suggesting the property. She also indicated to Vice Chair Frankie Myers she wanted to recuse herself from any votes in July 2021.

But the ethics board found she failed to disclose that she would receive funds from the sale. She stated at the meeting she initially did not know she would receive the funds from the sale, although emails from co-trustees indicating her as part of the trust and her signature on the deed’s sale in 2022 are included in the report. Together with her late husband, Provolt had a one-quarter interest in the trust, according to the report.

The land was purchased for $499,000 using American Rescue Plan Act funds and the grant deed is “unambiguous in naming Respondent as a grantor of the property,” the report said. Her share from the sale was $107,000, which she said she placed in a separate account, according to the ERB report and statements at Tuesday’s meeting. The report notes its printout showing the funds is undated and does not state who owns the account.

The issue was looked into further in 2024 after council members heard rumors she received funds from the sale. According to the report, Provolt failed to tell Myers in 2024 that she made money on the sale after he asked on two occasions.

The Yurok Tribe’s Ethics Review Board found she used her official position to influence the Yurok Indian Housing Authority to purchase the property, knowingly provided false information to the Yurok Tribal Council and YIHA over her interest and ownership of the property, and concealed her ownership interest in the sale. The council was tasked with reviewing these findings at the Tuesday meeting.

“I valued Sherri, worked alongside her, and depended on her, but sitting up here, it’s very, very difficult to make these decisions, but from what I see and what I am looking at, I’m voting with what I see, ” said Councilmember Phillip Williams.

Chairman Joseph James emphasized early on at the meeting the decision wasn’t easy — made by other council members — and encouraged tribal members to look at the documents available for legal tribal members to look at, to come to their own conclusions.

“This today doesn’t define us as a person, it’s a bump on the road. “We all fall down, including myself,” said James at the meeting.

During a statement to the panel, following the first charge, Provolt said “when first faced with these allegations, I had been provided the option to resign from my office by the chairperson of the ethics board, Frankie Myers. I chose not to do so because I did not intentionally, deliberately nor cause harm to the Yurok Tribe for my personal benefit. “I’m here today to stand up for myself.”

She stated that she shared many properties in Orick district with the YIHA, not just the one owned by her family. She said she did not vote to purchase that property, and that she properly disclosed that the property belonged to her in-laws. She claimed she was not listed on the trust documents, and later stated the funds were put into a separate trust account on behalf of her late husband, and she had not touched the money.

“As I stated multiple times, I disclosed my relationship with this property. Everyone knew it was my in-laws property,” said Provolt, adding that she had no idea the trust would provide financial gain from the sale.

Provolt objected to the council’s charges levied against her, arguing that because she was only allowed to respond to charges of the ethics review board and not the additional charges by council, the new charges are unconstitutional and can be appealed in tribal court.

“An honor elder told me recently to hold my head up and don’t let them stand in the way of important work. However, for my own mental health and my spiritual well-being, I will step away from my constitutional duties at the end of the month,” she said.

Council votes

On each charge levied against Provolt, the council voted 5-2 to uphold the board’s findings with councilmembers Wes Crawford and Mindy Natt dissenting

“I am just going to say this is not an easy decision,” said Councilmember Susan Masten.

Provolt maintained that the fraud charge was filed without giving her an opportunity to respond, which could breach the tribe’s constitution and see an appeal in tribal court. The ethics review board’s report accused Provolt of fraudulent concealment of a fact when under a legal duty to tell the truth — suppressing her interest in the property to the YIHA and suppressing the receipt from the sale, per the board’s report.

“To make abundantly clear, personally, my opinion, when you told this council — and I wasn’t here then — but when you said it was your in-laws. For me, that should have ended right there,” Crawford said in his dissent.

Sanctions requested by the ethics board also saw majority approval by the council at the meeting; a fine of $1,600 for violation of the council ordinance, as recommended by the ethics review board, suspensions from all nonconstitutional mandated activities, suspension of the honorarium through Dec. 31 2024, suspension of travel, removal of travel credit cards and purchase cards, a suspension of privileges and a letter of censorship shared with tribal membership.

“I will go ahead and step away from my council duties at the end of this month, and I do so for various different reasons, not because of just this action, but it’s hard to come to a place of work where you cannot do so in a good way. When you start not able to come to a place with a good heart and work in a good way, then it’s time to move on,” Provolt said.

One tribal member from Orick district remarked during public comment “the pendulum swings. “Pretty soon it’ll come back,”

According to an election notice posted on the Yurok Tribe’s Facebook on Aug. 16, the nomination period for her seat closes on Aug. 28.

Sage Alexander can be reached at 707-441-0504