SALT LAKE CITY – Jeffrey Charles Zander, 58, a former trusted insider within the Paiute Indian Tribe of Utah, will spend the next 68 months in federal prison. Zander, who once held the positions of tribal planner, general counsel, and economic development/trust resources director, was convicted in March of mail and wire fraud, money laundering, and willfully failing to file tax returns. The sentence, handed down Wednesday by U.S. District Judge David Nuffer, includes a hefty $202,543.92 in restitution, and Zander has been granted permission to self-surrender to begin his sentence.
The scheme, revealed during a week-long trial, centered around grant money intended to benefit the Paiute Tribe. A superseding indictment in February 2012 detailed two counts each of mail and wire fraud, one count of money laundering, and three counts of failing to file tax returns. For years, beginning around 2005, Zander systematically diverted over $175,000 earmarked for Integrated Resource Management Plans (IRMP) – long-term plans balancing tribal resource use – into his own pockets.
Zander presented a facade of legitimate business dealings, convincing tribal leaders he’d hired consultants in Salt Lake City, Las Vegas, and Provo to assist with the IRMPs. He claimed he’d hand-deliver payment checks while traveling to meet these consultants. The truth, laid bare at trial, was far more sinister: the companies were entirely fictitious, created solely to facilitate Zander’s fraudulent scheme. He fabricated invoices, submitted them to the Tribe for payment, and then deposited the funds into his personal bank accounts, traveling between Utah and Nevada to cover his tracks.
The unraveling began with a keen-eyed bank teller who flagged a suspicious transaction. Simultaneously, tribal leaders started to piece together Zander’s web of deceit. Evidence seized from his work computer revealed invoices from all four bogus companies, solidifying the case against him. Zander was promptly fired from his tribal position, and the FBI took over the investigation. The prosecution highlighted the betrayal of trust inherent in the case.
“Prosecuting white collar crime cases is a high priority for our office,” stated U.S. Attorney David B. Barlow. “This case is particularly egregious because it involves a person in a position of trust with the Paiute Tribe, who diverted funds intended to help the Tribe for his own personal use.” Mary F. Rook, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Salt Lake City, echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the commitment of law enforcement to combating criminal activity on Native American lands in Utah. “This defendant devised a scheme that caused the Paiute Nation to suffer substantial financial losses over a period of many years,” she said.
Zander’s history with the tribe began in October 1998 as a tribal planner, evolving into the economic development and trust resources director two years later. Around September 2007, he brazenly assumed the role of general counsel despite lacking a valid law license. The sentencing serves as a stark warning: greed will not be tolerated, especially when it comes at the expense of vulnerable communities. All income is reportable, including amounts stolen from those who rely on it.
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Key Facts
- State: Utah
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: White Collar Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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