Former Ceo Of Tribal Telecom Subsidiary Pleads Guilty To Embezzling Over $500,000 From Yurok Tribe

SAN FRANCISCO – Jessica Engle pleaded guilty in federal court yesterday afternoon to embezzling more than $500,000 from the Yurok Tribe.

Engle, 42, of Gold Hill, Oregon, was indicted by a federal grand jury on Sept. 25, 2024, on charges of embezzling approximately $579,574 from an Indian tribal organization and theft from programs receiving federal funds. She pleaded guilty to both counts in the indictment. In connection with pleading guilty, Engle admitted that she embezzled funds from the Yurok Tribe while she served as the Chief Executive Officer of the Yurok Telecommunications Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Yurok Tribe, and converted the funds to her own use.