Published on: December 15, 2025, 11:15 AM.
Updated on: December 15, 2025, 11:50 AM.
- Leadership crisis intensifies following casino closure and judicial intervention
- Competing factions dispute authority, elections, and control over tribal assets
- Oklahoma Supreme Court to determine the scope of state jurisdiction
A contentious power struggle that led to the closure of the Golden Pony Casino is now poised for a hearing at the Oklahoma Supreme Court. Here, opposing factions of the Thlopthlocco Tribal Town will argue that state courts lack the authority to interfere in their internal leadership conflict.
The Thlopthlocco Tribal Town (TTT) is a federally recognized Muscogee (Creek) tribe with approximately 1,000 members and its own sovereign government.
Casino.org reported last month that the tribe’s modest casino near Okemah along Interstate 40 was shut down following a mysterious break-in, potentially linked to ongoing tensions between tribal leadership and two rival factions.
The Oklahoman disclosed on Sunday that a key factor in the dispute lies in the fact that the current leadership has not organized an election in 18 years.
Restraining Order Issued
On October 27, Town King Brent Brown, the elected leader of the tribe, filed a petition requesting emergency and permanent injunctions, along with a declaratory judgment to clearly establish which group constitutes the legitimate governing body of Thlopthlocco. A temporary restraining order was issued that same day.
According to Brown’s court filing, rival factions trespassed at tribal government offices, threatened staff, and obstructed access to federal websites used by the Tribal Town.
In October, one faction disrupted a meeting of the Thlopthlocco Business Committee, the tribe’s governing body, demanding the immediate resignation of committee members. When their request was declined, they held an “unauthorized election,” claiming to be the new business committee.
This faction, now identifying itself as the legitimate Thlopthlocco Business Committee, went on to confront tribal employees, issuing threats of termination while brandishing rifles, as per the court documents.
Meanwhile, the competing faction contacted the tribe’s financial institution, asserting their role as the business committee in attempts to control the tribe’s funds, leading to a freeze on the tribe’s financial activities until the dispute can be settled.
Claims of Judicial Overreach
In their petition to the Supreme Court, the opposing factions contend that the lower court has acted “beyond its jurisdiction and without any legal basis by continuing to assert authority over this inter-tribal conflict.”
The factions seek a ruling from the higher court affirming that state courts lack jurisdiction over such matters and demand the vacating of the lower court’s ruling.
A hearing on the case is set for December 16.