O'Na Health Care, Benjamin Zvenia

[Laurel]

https://www.indianz.com/News/2020/05/21/how-a-company-misappropriated-native-ame.asp

"The company claimed Native American ties that would exempt it from state insurance regulations because of tribal sovereignty, which gives federally recognized tribes the authority to self-govern outside of state or federal law. O’NA claimed it did not have to adhere to federal insurance requirements, such as guaranteeing standard coverage or maintaining a designated level of funds in reserve to pay claims.

"O’NA HealthCare appears to be the first insurer to claim that Native American status exempted it from oversight, according to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners.

"The company advertised it was 'comfortably nestled under a Native American tribal corporate umbrella' and 'protected by the many rights and privileges that Native American Indians enjoy today.'

"It sent its customers a 'tribal membership ID & benefits card.' And it said it derived its status from an affiliation with the United Cherokee Nation-Aniyvwiya. That tribe is not one of the three federally recognized Cherokee tribes.

"But the troubles with O’NA went deeper than that, Cioppa and his team discovered during a year-long investigation. Along with serious doubts that anyone involved with O’NA had valid Indigenous roots, there were financial irregularities, allegations of embezzlement and phony professional credentials.

“'The more we found out,' Cioppa said, 'the more we wanted to keep digging'.”

One of the bad actors involved: Benjamin Zvenia has been arrested for practicing medicine without a license and claimed membership in at least two not-tribes/nations. He has also claimed to be  lawyer; he isn't. The company is now "reinventing itself."

Their website, which they seem to be scrubbing of Native references (excpet for a feather graphic on the front page, maybe). The FAQ page is down.

https://onacare.com/

[Sparks]

This is the original article, illustrated with photographs:

https://khn.org/news/how-a-company-misappropriated-native-american-culture-to-sell-health-insurance/

One of the bad actors involved: Benjamin Zvenia has been arrested for practicing medicine without a license and claimed membership in at least two not-tribes/nations. He has also claimed to be  lawyer; he isn't.

[My bolding of name.] 14 mentions of Mr. Zvenia in the referred article(s). There are a couple of posts about him in the forum:

[TOPIC: "Goddess" temples busted in prostitution sting - many arrests & charges]

According to the poster their lawyer will be delivering a talk at the event
The lawyer is this guy (emphasis mine)
Dr. Benjamin Zvenia, Esq.
Owner, ZVENIA & ASSOCIATES
Las Vegas, Nevada Area Law Practice
[Omitted: Long quote from this source:]
http://www.linkedin.com/pub/dr-benjamin-zvenia-esq/12/593/117

This long comment by educatedindian in 2008 is mostly about Benjamin Zvenia:

http://www.newagefraud.org/smf/index.php?topic=1898.msg13626#msg13626

At that time the title of the topic was "Official Nemenhah Online College of Healing". In 2014 it was renamed "Phil Landis & Nemenhah Band, an Oklehueva or ONAC chapter". Last post as of today was in 2018.

[educatedindian]

Zvenia is still posing as a tribal judge. Reported his profile to Linkedin as false.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-benjamin-zvenia-esq-11759312/

Kicked out of Muscogee, Shoshone, and state of Nevada bar ass'ns for practicing without a license, pretending to be a doctor.
https://turtletalk.blog/2019/03/19/muscogee-creek-nation-disbars-benjamin-zvenia/

https://books.google.com/books?id=gVTODwAAQBAJ&pg=PT1052&lpg=PT1052&dq=%22benjamin+zvenia%22&source=bl&ots=86FsIAxg75&sig=ACfU3U1V7VODKj6waw_oBS2WJihDilIs4Q&hl=en&sa=X
&ved=2ahUKEwiM3o2h9npAhUPoHIEHeyiAs84ChDoATAGegQICRAB#v=onepage&q=
%22benjamin%20zvenia%22&f=false

https://www.yelp.com/biz/zvenia-and-associates-las-vegas   
Larry M. Palm Desert, CA   7/3/2016
I see I am not alone. A few things on Mr Zvenia: His so called law degree is from a "paper mill" in the Bahamas, he is a felon out of Florida, and yes, he is a crook.

Roberto A.  San Diego, CA   9/2/2019
Not an attorney, not a doctor, not a judge.  Total FRAUD.  He has been in prison and if he keeps up his shit, he is going back.  Search him out in google and you will see that he was disbarred because he never went to law school.  He told some colleagues of mine that he was in the Army and was a Captain, nope not true.  I was never in the military, but friends and family were and even they say he is a total fraud!

Barbie L. Henderson, NV   10/16/2014
Benjamin zvenia is a CROOK!!! Took $5,000 up front from my parents then disappeared, never helping them with their lawsuit!!! BEWARE: DO NOT DO BUSINESS WITH THIS MAN!!! Benjamin zvenia is a CROOK!!! Took $5,000 up front from my parents then disappeared, never helping them with their lawsuit!!! BEWARE: DO NOT DO BUSINESS WITH THIS MAN!!!
Benjamin zvenia is a CROOK!!! Took $5,000 up front from my parents then disappeared, never helping them with their lawsuit!!! BEWARE: DO NOT DO BUSINESS WITH THIS MAN!!!

Moved to Frauds.