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Actor Chasing Horse sentenced to life same day suit filed
Two plaintiffs claim the staff knew they were being exploited and even claimed in some cases they were complicit
Women were branded with spider tattoos
A newly filed lawsuit accuses two Las Vegas casinos of helping to facilitate sex trafficking committed by a Hollywood actor.
Nathan Chasing Horse, best known for playing “Smiles a Lot” in Dances with Wolves, has faced serious legal trouble in recent years.
n 2023, he was arrested in Nevada after a lengthy investigation into his role tied to a cult-like group that exploited young Native American women and girls. The one time actor presented himself as a prominent spiritual healer in the Lakota tribe and used his position to exercise control over the plaintiffs.
He was ultimately charged with multiple crimes, including: Sexual assault of minors, Sex trafficking, Child abuse, Kidnapping and coercion-related offenses.
Chasing Horse was sentenced this month to life in prison (with the possibility of parole) after being found guilty on 13 charges.
Now two women are suing Boyd Gaming’s Cannery Casino and Station Casinos’ Santa Fe Station in Las Vegas, accusing the properties of “enabling and profiting from” Chasing Horse's actions.
The plaintiffs, identified only as M.L. and C.L., filed the civil lawsuit in Nevada state court on Monday, April 27, 2026. That happened to be the same day Chasing Horse was sentenced.
The two women claim they were trafficked on the properties from 2014 to 2022 while staff ignored what they say are "obvious signs", including bruised arms and other bizarre behavior such as following closely behind the one time actor without permission to speak to casino employees. Victims were all reportedly branded with a spider tattoo that the complaint says employees would have seen over this extended period of time and should have reported to authorities.
The complaint claims Chasing Horse would book hotel rooms over extended periods of time where he would commit his criminal acts.
Attorneys argue the volume of foot traffic alone should have alerted hotel workers to criminal activity. The suit even claims some employees acted as lookouts on behalf of Chasing Horse and alerted him when police were on the property.
The lawsuit also accuses both properties failed to implement anti-trafficking policies, training programs and procedures for preventing, identifying, reporting and stopping sex trafficking.
The plaintiffs seek unspecified compensatory and punitive damages for years of alleged abuse.
A hearing date has not yet been set.
Boyd advised they do not comment on pending litigation.
- Nagesh Rath, Gambling911.com
