Alleged conflict probed

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Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2004 | 10:41 a.m.

SACRAMENTO -- Two federal agencies said they are investigating alleged conflicts of interest involving officials of the Sacramento-based regional office of the Bureau of Indian Affairs.

The probe by the U.S. Interior Department's inspector general and Congress' General Accounting Office comes after The Associated Press reported that regional BIA officials, possibly for personal gain, opened the membership roll of the Ione Band of Miwok Indians and authorized a new leadership election.

The Miwok band is seeking to build a $100 million, 2,000-slot machine casino in Plymouth, in one of California's fast-growing wine regions.