Ex-Navajo Nation chapter employee pleads no contest to fraud

WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. (AP) — Navajo Nation officials say a former K'ai'bii'to' chapter accounts maintenance specialist has pleaded no contest to one count each of fraud and forgery.
Tribal authorities say Berniece Pinto-Denetdeal used her position to forge signatures of other chapter officials to issue checks to herself that she wasn't entitled to.
In order to conceal her actions, authorities say she falsely recorded information in the chapter's accounting software.
The total loss to the chapter and the tribe was about $32,500.
Pleas of no contest are treated as guilty for sentencing purposes.
Pinto-Denetdeal has entered into a plea agreement and agreed to pay nearly $30,000 in restitution to the chapter.
She will be on probation for two years with the Navajo Nation and three years with the federal government.