Following a three-month investigation, an appointed special prosecutor has filed an ethics complaint before the Navajo Nation District Court on Friday and is calling for the immediate removal of the tribe’s president, Buu Nygren.
Special Prosecutor Kyle Nayback, who runs an Albuquerque-based law firm specializing in federal and tribal law, alleges Nygren engaged in nepotism and misused his office between January 2023 and May 2025.
The complaint claims Nygren used government funds to pay for the lodging and meals of family members, concealed those credit card charges by identifying relatives as staff and falsified travel documents.
Nayback also alleges Nygren directed at least one staffer to perform personal duties, like child care, cooking, cleaning and managing personal bills. His report calls for Nygren to forfeit further compensation for up to a year, pay restitution and receive a five-year ban from public office.
Nygren is up re-election next year.
Back in August when Nayback was named special prosecutor to explore the handling of American Rescue Plan Act federal dollars for the now defunct $24 million ZenniHome project, Nygren welcomed the investigation, stating “we did nothing wrong.”
Months later, Nygren’s office did not immediately respond to KJZZ’s request for comment on the allegations levied by Nayback.
Billed as a solution to address the housing crisis on Navajoland, ZenniHome agreed to manufacture 80 modular homes but built only 18 before shutting down its LeChee facility near Page and laying off more than 200 employees.
