GALLUP — The former top financial officer for the Navajo Nation is facing new accusations that she lied to tribal officials to hire an outside company for rapid COVID-19 testing services and misled officials to use federal coronavirus pandemic relief funds to pay the business.
The Navajo Nation Department of Justice announced on Dec. 3 that criminal complaints were filed against Pearline Kirk. The complaints allege Kirk misrepresented information about Agile Technologies Group LLC to hire them to test personnel in the controller's office and for other services related to the coronavirus pandemic.
The new allegations come a week after a tribal court judge dismissed two charges the Department of Justice filed against Kirk based on similar claims.
The news release states that Kirk has been charged with obtaining a signature by deception, paying or receiving Navajo Nation government funds for services not rendered and unsworn falsification – all violations of tribal law.
"The Navajo Nation alleges Ms. Kirk falsified and misrepresented relevant facts that mislead and deceived Navajo Nation officials into approving a contract for over $3 million to hire a COVID-19 testing company to serve the approximately 110 employees of her office, approximately $27,000 per person to be served," the release states.
It also states that the company's chief executive used the payments to fund an "extravagant and luxurious lifestyle" that included the purchase of a British sports car and rent...
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