North Dakota Development Fund Chair and Vice Chair Resign Amid Ethics Inquiry

The chair and vice chair of the North Dakota Development Fund, Jim Albrecht and Rob Lindberg, have resigned, a spokesperson for Gov. Kelly Armstrong confirmed to KFYR, reported by Valley News Live on Friday. No reason was given, and the spokesperson did not say when the resignations take effect.

On Wednesday the state Ethics Commission voted unanimously to begin an inquiry into the fund, the first of its kind for the seven-year-old panel, the North Dakota Monitor reported. A state audit covering 2019 to 2024 found missing documentation for millions of dollars in transactions, unverified job data and inconsistent conflict-of-interest procedures. KFYR’s Your News Leader reported in September that the audit found missing or incomplete documentation for nearly $4 million in transactions.

Attorney General Drew Wrigley declined to investigate, citing a conflict because his office represents current and former fund board members in a civil suit, and said no one had presented credible evidence of a crime. Commerce Commissioner Chris Schilken told lawmakers improvements are underway and that the problems predate his and Armstrong’s tenures. An inquiry does not establish that an ethics violation occurred.