Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians

Profile narrative

The Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians, also known as the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe or Kewadin Casinos, is a federally recognised tribal government headquartered in the United States of America. It provides a range of governmental services to its members, including healthcare delivery and administrative operations, while also managing tribal enterprises such as the five Kewadin Casinos located across Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. In addition to gaming facilities, the tribe operates convenience stores and other tribal businesses that support community economic activity. These services collectively serve the tribe’s population and visitors to the region, integrating public sector functions with commercial ventures. The organisation’s structure reflects a blend of sovereign governance and commercial activity, with casino operations forming a notable component of its economic footprint.

In February 2025 the tribe experienced a ransomware attack that disrupted its phone and computer systems, affecting healthcare services, government operations, and all five Kewadin Casinos, which were closed for more than two weeks before gradually reopening. The tribe chose not to pay the demanded ransom, following guidance from law enforcement and cybersecurity experts, and instead restored its systems and recovered data using internal resources. Following the incident, tribal convenience stores largely returned to full operation, while the organisation began reviewing hundreds of thousands of potentially stolen documents and offered affected individuals free credit monitoring services. An FBI investigation into the attack remains ongoing, underscoring the seriousness of the breach and the tribe’s response to it. This event highlighted the tribe’s reliance on integrated digital infrastructure across its public and commercial services and its capacity to manage recovery without acceding to extortion demands.

Incidents

1 incident linked to this organisation.