Arby's "tribe" guilty of fraud

American Indian tribe called bogusA federal judge ordered a $63,000 civil-fraud judgment against four people who claim to be chiefs of an American Indian tribe in eastern Utah.

The men, who got organized at an Arby's restaurant and claim to have hundreds of tribal members, refuse to recognize U.S or state laws, have issued their own drivers' licenses and filed countless lawsuits against Utah authorities for ignoring their sovereignty.

In a decision Monday, following a trial last week, U.S. District Judge Stephen P. Friot ordered the men to stop pretending to be Indians and pay Uintah County damages. He called their tribe a "complete sham."Bogus tribe claims to be WampanoagsA federal judge has ordered four Utah men to stop fraudulently claiming they are members of the "Wampanoag Nation."

The men were ordered to pay $63,000 in damages to Uintah County, retribution for a host of lawsuits the self-proclaimed "chiefs" filed against Utah authorities for ignoring their purported sovereignty.

Members of the Utah group have challenged traffic stops and other encounters with authorities, filing lawsuits and unenforceable debt judgments against prosecutors, law enforcement officers and judges.Comment:  For more on the subject, see The Facts About Tribal Sovereignty.