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Tucson man who pleaded guilty in tribe embezzlement scheme ordered to pay $33M

Looking at a gavel on the judge's bench into the courtroom
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Kevin Lamorris McKenzie was sentenced last month to 14 years in prison on top of a concurrent five year prison sentence. He had previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and embezzlement from a Native American tribe.

Prosecutors say McKenzie served as COO and then CEO of Apache Behavioral Health Services when he engaged in a scheme to defraud the organization and the White Mountain Apache tribe of millions of dollars.

They say he used contracts as a front to funnel money from the organization to himself.

The behavioral health organization paid more than $35 million to a group called Helping Everyday Youth. That group made a secret agreement with McKenzie, prosecutors say, and funneled the money to a shell company he controlled instead.

They also say he funneled money through a company owned by a co-defendant, Evolved Health Care Inc. who then split the profits with McKenzie.

McKenzie was ordered to pay back more than $33 million and surrender real estate and luxury cars, including a Rolls Royce.

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Michel Marizco was senior editor of KJZZ's Fronteras Desk from 2016 to 2025.