Gaming Regulators Investigate Financial Misconduct at Tribal Casino

Louisiana State Police have started to investigate possible financial problems at the Coushatta Casino Resort in Kinder. This comes at the same time as news about someone shooting at the home of the tribe’s current leader.

Audit Triggers Inquiry Into Alleged Personal Spending by Former Coushatta Executives

The state’s Gaming Enforcement Division said they are checking claims about the misuse of casino money. These claims involve the tribe’s former leader, Jonathan Cernek, and two ex-workers, Todd Stewart and Paula Corliss, reported the Louisiana Illuminator. The accusations come from an outside audit and inside papers given to the Coushatta Tribal Council. These suggest that someone might have used a casino credit card to pay for personal expenses related to building Cernek’s house.

Cernek left his job in August 2024 without giving a public reason for his choice. He and Stewart did not answer recent requests to comment. Corliss, however, said FBI and Bureau of Indian Affairs agents asked her questions last year about the casino’s financial matters. She pointed out that state police have not contacted her about their ongoing investigation.

Federal agencies will not say if they are involved, pointing to ongoing limits from the government shutdown. However, papers from the National Indian Gaming Commission (NIGC) reveal that the federal watchdog told the Coushatta Tribal Gaming Commission in September to check Stewart’s gaming license. Soon after, Stewart lost his license, while Corliss’ license got suspended when she did not ask for a hearing to challenge the decision.

Gunshot Strikes Home of Coushatta Tribal Chairman Amid Ongoing Casino Investigation

Corliss, who worked at the casino for almost 30 years, claims she was fired for letting Cernek into her office after he quit. A tribe spokesperson said her firing was legal under “at will” employment and mentioned she broke casino security rules, without giving more details.

Stewart told tribal leaders last year that he waited to inform auditors and lenders about suspected fraud. He said that by the time they got a $150 million construction loan, they had already fixed any problems.

While the financial investigation goes on, police and tribal officers are also dealing with another scary incident. A bullet hit the house of current tribal chairman David Sickey late Sunday night, tribal officials said. The bullet went into the bedroom of one of his kids, who was sleeping at the time. No one got hurt.

The Jefferson Davis Parish Sheriff’s Office, Coushatta Tribal Police, and federal authorities are working together to investigate the shooting. The Sickey family lives near the town of Iowa, Louisiana, about 45 minutes away from the tribe’s reservation.

The Coushatta Tribal Council had a meeting over the weekend, but officials have not said if they talked about the casino’s internal investigation or the recent attack.