Witness tells of thousands paid to join tribe

Eds: CLARIFIES that Webber believed having a reservation would help gain federal recognition, 10th graf.

By ROXANA HEGEMAN

Associated Press Writer

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) -- An unrecognized American Indian tribe that pitched the benefits of tribal membership to immigrants nationwide took in thousands of dollars daily in fees from applicants, a former employee testified Thursday.

The Kaweah Indian Nation and its self-style grand chief, Malcolm Webber, are accused in federal court of peddling memberships costing $50 to more than $1,000 apiece to more than 13,000 legal and illegal immigrants, mostly Hispanic, around the country.

Applicants were told that membership would gain them U.S. citizenship and allow them to obtain Social Security numbers, health care and other benefits, according to the charges.

Eduviges del Carmen Zamora, a native of El Salvador who worked as the group's secretary, testified Thursday she often translated when Hispanic pastors came to discuss membership with the 70-year-old Webber, who calls himself Grand Chief Thunderbird IV.

"He said, 'Tell them that this is a grand opportunity God is giving us so no one will suffer,"' Zamora said.

When pastors inquired about the benefits of being an American Indian, Webber would laugh and smile and also tell them that he did not pay taxes, Zamora said.

Zamora also testified she gave Webber about $30,000 daily in membership fees received from the mostly illegal immigrants.

The federal government has denied recognition of Webber's group as an authentic Indian tribe and says Webber, of Bel Aire, has no Indian ancestry.

Webber went on trial this week in U.S. District Court on charges of harboring illegal immigrants, possession of false documents with intent to defraud the United States, conspiracy with intent to defraud the United States and mail fraud.

The government also seeks to seize about $300,000 that the defense contends Webber planned to use to buy land for a reservation, which the defense contends the chief believed would help his group gain federal recognition.

Defense attorney Kurt Kerns has contended that Webber acted in good-faith belief that selling tribal memberships was a legitimate way to help illegal immigrants take a step toward citizenship.

On Thursday, Kerns raised again the issue of whether Webber actually worked for a "high chief" -- a man who has not been charged -- and carried out that individual's orders.

Under cross-examination, Zamora recounted the presence of the "high chief" during a discussion at the Wichita offices about the deportation of a California tribal member.

Zamora, a lawful U.S. resident, pleaded guilty last month to a count of failure to tell authorities about the fraud in exchange for reduced charges. She told jurors it was Webber who told her to get a U.S. passport and update her status from resident to citizen at the Social Security Administration.

Bruce McKimens, a special agent with the Social Security Administration's Office of Inspector General, testified Thursday that hundreds of applications from tribal members flooded Social Security offices nationwide as word mistakenly spread that Kaweah membership entitled immigrants to Social Security cards.

McKimens testified that to his knowledge, no Social Security cards were issued based on Kaweah membership.

The prosecution is expected to wrap up its case Friday.
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