The lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Court in Denver against John P. Jurrius, The Jurrius Group LLP and the Jurrius Ogle Group LLC.

Phone numbers for the defendants were unlisted.

The lawsuit said Jurrius entered an agreement with the tribe Dec. 1, 2000, in which he would earn $600,000 a year for financial consulting and to help the tribe develop business opportunities and helping with energy development.

The tribe contends the agreement allowed Jurrius to invest his own money in the tribe's investments, including development of the tribe's lucrative energy and mineral interests, but that Jurrius instead acted as an investor without putting in any of his own money.

Development of gas and oil deposits serve as the main income for the tribe and its more than 3,000 members.

The tribe's lawsuit listed claims including a breach of fiduciary duties and asks a judge to order that the defendants disgorge themselves from tribal business operations. It is seeking restitution and compensatory damages, including a return of some of the consulting fees the tribe paid.