Submission Deadline: Monday, Nov. 27, 2017
In late 2010, the class action litigation initiated by key plaintiff Elouise Cobell v. Salazar against the Department of Interior settled for $3.4 billion. Unfortunately, more than 30,000 Alaska Native and American Indian people who are eligible to receive funds under the settlement have yet to come forward, others have failed to keep their addresses current with the claims administrator, and still others have passed away and their heirs have yet to present a death certificate and/or the necessary documentation to substantiate the right to inherit.
The final deadline to submit documentation so payment can be made is Nov. 27, 2017. Visit www.indiantrust.com for additional information and to search the Cobell Whereabouts Unknown list for your name or the names of your friends and relatives.
New names are still being added, so even if you checked the list before, you are encouraged to check it again. Due to occasional misspellings and incorrect tribal affiliations, you might also consider conducting a partial name search by entering only a portion of your name in the “Search here” box and selecting the “Search Nationwide” checkbox. All questions should be directed to the claims administrator by calling (800) 961-6109; emailing info@indiantrust.com; or writing to Indian Trust Settlement, PO Box 9577, Dublin OH 43017-4877.
FUNDS DEPOSITED ON BEHALF OF MISSING IIM ACCOUNT HOLDERS SUBJECT TO FORFEITURE
The Department of Interior Special Trustee for American Indians (OST) is separately seeking current addresses for a number of Individual Indian Money (IIM) Account holders whose whereabouts are unknown, some of whom have had Cobell payment funds deposited to their accounts. The funds held for these missing individuals will be forfeited and transferred to the Cobell Scholarship Fund in late 2017 if they fail to update their accounts.
Visit www.doi.gov/ost/wau and scroll down to view the OST Whereabouts Unknown list to find out if OST is looking for you or any of your friends or relatives. Find out how to update your information by calling the Trust Beneficiary Call Center at (888) 678-6836 or writing to the Office of Special Trustee, attn: Trust Beneficiary Call Center, 4400 Masthead Street NE, Albuquerque, NM 87109. All questions about OST’s Whereabouts Unknown List and the process for updating an address with OST should be directed to OST.
