From: Native American Times
Written by TIM TALLEY, Associated Press
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) – The Oklahoma Supreme Court Tuesday upheld a $47.7 million judgment awarded to the state over the sale of illegal contraband cigarettes, an activity the decision described as “flagrant disrespect for Oklahoma, our laws and our citizens.”
The ruling from the state’s highest court was against Native Wholesale Supply, a company chartered by the Sac and Fox Tribe of Oklahoma. The state Attorney General’s Office had requested the judgment be deposited into the Oklahoma Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust, a fund dedicated to preventing and reducing tobacco use and improving Oklahomans’ overall health.
An attorney for Native Wholesale Supply, Paula Williams, declined comment on the decision. A spokeswoman for Attorney General Scott Pruitt said he was pleased with the outcome in the longstanding case.
