A Las Vegas jury has convicted a Mesquite, Nevada home builder of siphoning federal money designated for building affordable homes in the Navajo Nation to pay for gambling, furs, jewelry and thoroughbred racehorse training.
William Aubrey, 69, could face up to 10 years in federal prison and $500,000 in fines following his conviction on two counts of conversion of money and funds from a tribal organization.
U.S. attorney Daniel Bogden said, "the Navajo Nation counted on the monies stolen by Aubrey to provide housing for its members," he went on to say, "this defendant stole from the tribe and from the American people, and used the monies to finance an extravagant lifestyle."
The jury heard about two weeks of testimony and deliberated more than two days before acquitting a co-defendant, Chester Carl, of conspiracy and bribery charges. The two men were indicted in May 2009.