Grand Canyon National Park (AZ)
Park Resident Charged With Theft Of Funds From Nonprofit
In November, 2009, special agents with the NPS’ Investigative Services Branch began an investigation into the theft of thousands of dollars from the Native American Education Committee (NAEC), a nonprofit group comprised of parents, guardians, and interested supporters of Native American students attending the Grand Canyon School located within the park. NAEC provides support to Native American students at Grand Canyon in the form of scholarships and other financial support, which allows them to pursue opportunities they might otherwise not be able to afford. It raises money for the scholarships through fundraising activities in Grand Canyon. On April 14th, NAEC’s former treasurer was charged with three felony counts of theft and nine misdemeanor counts of theft. The defendant’s initial appearance is scheduled for May 3rd. The prosecution is being handled by Shelia Philips, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona.