Ute Tribe, ex-financial adviser settle lawsuits

ROOSEVELT — The Ute Indian Tribe has settled a lawsuit against its former financial adviser, John P. Jurrius.

In a one-paragraph statement, the tribe said it had "resolved its differences" and Jurrius and both sides had agreed to have their lawsuits against one another dismissed. The statement said the parties have agreed to keep the terms of the settlement confidential. However, the Deseret News has learned that Jurrius gave up his claims to profits from potentially lucrative tribal oil and gas contracts as part of the deal.

"We wouldn't have settled if he was still involved, let's put it that way," said a source with knowledge of the May 22 settlement in U.S. District Court in Denver.

Susan Bernhardt, an attorney representing Jurrius, did not return a phone call seeking comment about the settlement.

The Ute Tribe's Business Committee filed suit against Jurrius and his investment companies in September alleging that he and his associates "wrongfully and fraudulently" claimed an interest in the tribe's energy businesses, Ute Energy Holdings and Ute Energy.

"Jurrius used (his) position as our adviser, with full access to our books and records, to fraudulently claim assets and revenue that clearly belong to the tribe," said Ute Tribe Business Committee Chairman Curtis R. Cesspooch.

Jurrius — now the president of Native American Resource Partners, which has the stated purpose of helping American Indian tribes develop their oil, gas and mineral resources — fired back in December with a lawsuit of his own.

Jurrius denied allegations that he breached his fiduciary duties to the tribe and said he instead helped the Ute Indian Tribe achieve "unprecedented financial success."

In their counterclaim, Jurrius and his co-defendants accused the tribe of breaching its obligation to pay them monthly fees and other compensation. They said the current business committee, made up of different individuals than those who hired them, wrongfully terminated Jurrius and concocted the lawsuit to avoid paying them.

The settlement, signed off on by U.S. District Court Judge Robert E. Blackburn, dismisses the parties' claims with prejudice, which means they cannot be raised again.

E-MAIL: geoff@ubstandard.com