By Jerrad Moore, Assignment Editor
OKMULGEE, Okla. – Micheal Anthony Houser pleaded guilty to theft concerning programs receiving federal funds and tax fraud Feb. 20. As previously reported, former Muscogee (Creek) Nation employee Michael Anthony Houser was charged on Feb. 3 with two federal counts, one for embezzling federal funds and one for tax fraud.
According to Houser’s plea, “Beginning prior to 2016 and continuing until in and around March 2024, the defendant served as agent of the Muskogee (Creek) Nation.”
Specifically, the defendant served as an Accounts Payable Manager for the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Gaming Operations Authority Board from on or about January 14, 2014, until, in and around December 2021.
The defendant then served an Accounts Payable Manager for the Muscogee Nation Gaming Enterprises, LLC from in and around December 2021, until February 3, 2023, and later as a Purchasing Manager from on or about February 3, 2023, until in and around March 2024.
During a time period ending prior to 2016, the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Gaming Operations Authority Board employed a contractor, identified as Vendor-A, to perform services for the MCN’s casinos and entertainment venues.
As a result, the accounting systems for the MCN casinos had saved information related to Vendor-A, including bank account information that allowed the MCN Gaming Operations Authority Board to make direct payments to Vendor A’s account.
In and around July 2016, the defendant caused the bank account information for Vendor-A to be changed to list a new bank account. The new bank account listed was an account created by the defendant, held in the defendant’s name, and controlled solely by the defendant.
Beginning in and around July 2016, the defendant used his position as an agent of the MCN to submit and approve requests for payments to Vendor-A. At times, the defendant created paper invoices, purporting to be from Vendor-A, to support the requests for payment. At times, the defendant cut and copied signatures of the defendant’s supervisors onto the fraudulent invoices to make it appear that the invoices had been approved by individuals other than himself. After each invoice was approved in the accounting system, the accounting system initiated a payment to the account listed in the system for Vendor-A – which was a bank account held by the defendant.
Between in and around July 2016, and continuing until in and around February 2024, through the use of false invoices and his ability to submit and approve invoices, the defendant embezzled and obtained by fraud monies totaling $24,905,436.07, which were owned by and under the care, custody, and control of the MCN and its agencies.
On or about October 16, 2023, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma the defendant willfully made and subscribed to a false 2022 Form 1040, U.S. Individual Tax Return, that the defendant knowingly reported an Adjusted Gross Income of $471,237.00, and knew was false and that the Adjusted Gross Income failed to report $7,851,027.28 of income.
The defendant’s 2022 Form 1040, U.S. Individual Tax Return was prepared, in part, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma and was filed with the Internal Revenue Service.
When this 2022 Form 1040, U.S. Individual Tax Return was made, the defendant was a resident of Broken Arrow, Wagoner County, Oklahoma, which is in the Eastern District of Oklahoma. The defendant also similarly prepared, made, or signed false Form 1040s, U.S. Individual Tax Returns in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021.”
Houser has been released on his own recognizance. A sentencing hearing has not yet been scheduled.
Mvskoke Media will continue to update this story as it develops.
