Will the REAL "Diamond Brown, Cherokee Storyteller from Snowbird" please stand up?

Since approx 2001 a cadre of Caucasians have been pretending both on-line, and in person, to be an enrolled member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians named "Diamond Brown, Jr" and/or his wife and/or his "granddaughter"  Below you will find links to, and screen shots of numerous on-line posts where email accounts belonging to individuals using the names "Robbie Green" "Mickey Campbell"  or "Cathy Blake" claim to be Diamond Brown and/or Diamond "Yonvadisi" aka "Diamond Runningbear" and/or his wife and/or his daughter/granddaughter  In addition, they have brazenly misrepresented themselves in the flesh to people who have known the the real Brown family for years and continued with their deception even after being publicly exposed in the Cherokee One Feather.  "Robbie Green" and "Mickey Campbell" are publicly listed as owners of a store called "Runningbear's Den" where they claim to be selling Cherokee made items. "Cathy Blake" works at Runningbears Den, and promotes it extensively on-line.   The physical storefront has finally closed, but they STILL have an on-line store.

Since being confronted by the real Brown family, the impostors have been backpedaling faster then a circus clown on a unicycle.  Recently they tried to claim that "Diamond Yonvadisi" a "Cherokee Storyteller from Snowbird" is a completely different person then Diamond Brown, Jr.  Cherokee Storyteller from Snowbird.  The only problem with their new story is that there is NO "Yonvadisi" or "Runningbear" enrolled with the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI)  The EBCI has enrolled members with the last name of "Standingbear" and "Climbingbear" .... they even have some members with the last name of "Drowningbear" but there is not a single  "Runningbear" or "Yonvadisi" on their rolls!  Snowbird is a VERY small Indian community, where everyone knows everyone.  There is no family named "Runningbear" or  "Yonvadisi" in Snowbird, enrolled or otherwise.   Runningbear might have loved Little White Dove with a love big as the sky ...but he didn't do it in the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians!   So who is the "full blooded enrolled member of the EBCI" from Snowbird the "Robbie Green" character publicly claims to be married to?  Who is the "full blooded enrolled member of the EBCI"  making all these "Indian made"  crafts at Runningbear's Den, teaching Cherokee (right out of a book) on-line and collecting Anglo wives like Henry VIII ?  Mr. Mystery Indian DOES NOT EXIST according to the Tribal Authorities we have spoken with.  
In the past 20+ years we have reported on the activities of a wide variety of predators, both on-line and off.  In all those years we have NEVER seen a case as BIZARRE as this one!   This situation goes wayyyyy beyond a few white women fraudulently selling their crafts as "Cherokee Made"   The REAL Diamond Brown Jr. and his family have suffered immensely over the years due to the actions of these pretenders.  The real Diamond is repeatedly approached by people who claim he has been teaching them on-line for years. Total strangers come to the Brown's shows, their hotel rooms, etc. looking for their "Cherokee Teacher"  

Can you imagine what it would be like to have a strange man show up at your motel room, at night,  where your wife and kids are sleeping, claiming to be your close friend on-line, who knows all about you ?  That is exactly what happened to the Browns right here in Cherokee ... and it's CREEPY!!!   THIS HAS GOT TO STOP!!!   It is our hope that this website will document the actions of the Runningbear's Den  impostors and lay to rest any question regarding who is the REAL Diamond Brown Jr.,  Cherokee Storyteller from Snowbird.


First Things First!
This is the website of the  REAL Diamond Brown Jr. 
Touch the Earth with Native People
Full blood, Enrolled Member of the EBCI and Cherokee Storyteller from Snowbird  
This is his only website, and he couldn't use a computer to actually find it himself if you offered him a million bucks!   The real Diamond Brown doesn't even know what a URL is! Diamond's website is maintained by his REAL wife, and geek friends who appreciate what he does know how to do....teach the truth about Cherokee Indians.
This is the contact number for the REAL Brown family: 770-985-4623
The REAL Diamond Brown Jr. and family can verify the information posted here regarding their impostors.
.
::::UPDATE:::
Predators Post  "Anonymous Rumors" about Pagan.com author Betsy Ashby in retaliation for her exposure of their fraudulent activities.

Well known plagiarists and promoters of sex tours on their "Church" website,   William "Bill" Wheeler {Rhuddlwm Gawr} and Victoria "Vickie" Wheeler {Cerridwen Gawr}    aka Dynion Mwyn,  Y Tylwyth Teg, Camelot etc. etc.  have posted "anonymous" and extremely defaming "alleged rumors" about me, as well as other authors they plagiarized, on their website. They did this with  malice in retaliation for our web site which exposes well documented cases of plagiarism, as well as screen shots of the "sex tours to Asia" promotion.  They claim the defaming and harassing posts about me are  "anonymous"

The Runningbear's Den impostors are currently using the Wheeler's "anonymous rumors" about me to try and distract people from the fact that they are WHITE WOMEN pretending to be a "full blooded enrolled member of the EBCI" 
Faux Indian "Grandmother Gayle" and the Snowbird Con Clan did the exact same thing.  What can we say.... birds of a feather.

For the record, I have NO criminal record whatsoever. I have never been convicted of any crime....not even a tiny little misdemeanor. I have a valid concealed carry permit in the State of Virginia, which I've held since I was 21 years old.    I've had one speeding ticket in the past 20 years ...for going 11 mph over.  I did that, so I paid it.
I have never been investigated for anything that I know of ...no one questioned me?  It's not like I'm hard to find.  Unlike the cowards who post outrageous lies about me on-line, I use my real name and address when I post the TRUTH about them.  I don't "allege rumors"  I SHOW FACTS!

EVERY SINGLE "alleged rumor" about me has been made ANONYMOUSLY with the intent to harass me into silence!  There is not one single person who has ever accused me of anything who has been willing to GIVE THEIR OWN NAME!!
  'nuff said!!

PS: 
The "Betsy was arranging safe housing for Muslims after 9-11"  story is the ONLY ...and I mean ONLY truthful statement made about me on the aforementioned websites!  I did that, and I'd do it again ...for ANY RACE OR RELIGION in the same situation ...Muslim, Christian, Jewish, Pagan... or anything I haven't heard of yet.   I openly, on the net, offered safe housing and/or transportation to ANYONE who needed it (all air fights in our area were grounded)  in full view of the government, again using my own name.  Both the Isle of Wight Sheriff and various other officials knew what I was doing...and why.  PEOPLE were stranded and scared.  At one point, the Sheriff offered us extra patrols of our property if we needed it.  After the 9-11 attack it was practically open season on anyone wearing a head scarf in certain parts of Bubbaville. That's wrong!    

When I die I will NOT be explaining to The All-Father why I did nothing while innocent people were being harmed  ......I'll probably be busy explaining a lot of other stuff....but not that one!
Betsy
 That said ....please join us for the Fatal Attraction edition of "Who wants To Be An Indian?"

Impostor Sites and Posts

Please note we have only included posts from forums which require a member's email address be verified before posting.  We have intentionally excluded any posts from anonymous boards to insure all posts can be traced back to one of the email accounts owned and publicized by people using the names "Robbie Green" "Mickey Campbell" or "Cathy Blake"
THE STORYTELLER   


 THE STORYTELLER  is one of the first websites we found where Diamond Brown's name was publicly listed as "Diamond Yonvadisi"  
"Yonvadisi" is Cherokee for "Runningbear" and the Diamond Brown  impostor claimed "Runningbear" was the name "he" used on-line.
The original author of this site, Keetonah, was clearly innocent of any attempt at deception.  The poor woman truly thought she was chatting with the real Diamond Brown, Jr.  You can imagine her shock and sense of betrayal when she found out the real Diamond Brown had never sent a single email in his life! The real Diamond Brown Jr. does not even know how to boot up a computer!!
 
The pictures and newspaper articles on Keetonah's website were of the real Diamond  Brown, Jr.  They were sent to her by the impostor using the email contact address "DiamondYonvadisi@aol.com"   which she included at the bottom of the website.  The "Yonvadisi" aol addresses are used by the owners of "Runningbears Den"  Two Anglo women using the names "Robbie Green" and "Mickey Campbell" are listed in various locations as the owners of "Runningbears Den"  On Keenonah's website, anyone interested in booking Diamond Brown for a School demonstration was directed to contact the owners of "Runningbear's Den"   @ "DiamondYonvadisi@aol.com"
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Enrolled Members of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians Twice a year, the official newspaper of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians ... "The One Feather" ... prints a complete list of Enrolled Members.  I guess they got tired of people pretending to be Cherokee  e
We scanned the relevant portions of the  "R" and "Y" sections to show there are NO members by the name "Runningbear" or "Yonvadisi" We blacked out the first names to protect the privacy of the REAL Tribal members listed here.
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Native American Friends


 The Diamond Brown impostor(s) was very active in several  MSN groups, including one called Native American Friends.  Upon joining NAF, "Runningbear" claimed to be Diamond Brown aka Diamond Yonvadisi and sent Managers of NAF pictures of the real Diamond Brown Jr.  "He" was made an Assistant Manager of the group, and given his own teaching board "Runningbears Den" After a time, managers of the group got suspicious because "Diamond's" story wasn't adding up.  In February of 2003, the managers of NAF contacted the real Brown family, and the impostor was exposed on the Native American Friends forum.  These "Explanation" posts were forwarded to the Brown family by the Managers of Native American Friends, and then passed on the Bryson City and Cherokee Police authorities investigating the impostors.

From Native American Friends managers, February 2003:
  • When Runningbear came to our community he said that he was a person named Diamond Brown.  Diamond Brown is known all over the country as a Cherokee Culture Teacher.  We first knew him as Diamond Brown.
  • Diamond Brown sent us pictures of himself teaching in schools with his teepee and set up.  Here are two of the pictures he sent to us.. ...the first one was sent to us when he first came to NAF - the second one was sent about two months ago
....
Robbie Green aka "Runningbears Angel" These screen photos come from yet another MSN group "Native American Nation" where Robbie is an Assistant Manager.
 Here "Robbie Green" explains how she got the nickname "Runningbears Angel"  She also says that her husband is a "Full Blooded Cherokee from the Eastern Band of Cherokee" and promotes their store "Runningbears Den" in her intro. She claims her "husband" the Cherokee Full Blood makes most of the crafts at Runningbears Den.  As mentioned above, the Eastern Band of Cherokee DOES NOT have any members with the last name of "Runningbear" or "Yonvadisi"  

Robbie also lists her occupation as "Medical Billier"  
Hey, if you can make up an Indian husband, ya might as well make up your own words too?  LOL
Seriously though, this is an important footnote.  I {Betsy Ashby reporter/webmaster for Faux Indians} was physically present when Cherokee Tribal authorities told the real Diamond Brown and family that a woman named  "Robbie Green" who worked in the billing department of the Hospital had been "caught pulling up Diamond's medical records on her computer" and that she had been "escorted from the hospital"   

Direct quotes:
"My name is Robbie, my nickname is Runningbears Angel, to answer your question as to where I got this nick, it is simple, my husband is a Full Blooded Cherokee, from the Eastern Band of Cherokee here in Cherokee, NC, and his last name is Yonvadisi which means Yonv=bear and adisi = running, Runningbear, and he calls me his angel. I work full time and we have a store he works at called Runningbears Den here in Cherokee. "
"Here is a story that my husband tells alot, he is a Cherokee Storyteller, hope this makes you smile."

A Little About Me
"I live in Cherokee, NC with my husband who is full blooded Cherokee, we have a store which he does most of the crafts"
....
Beadstyle Profile On the Beadstyle forum, "Diamond Yonvadisi" states "I am a 66 year old male, my wife and I own a shop in Cherokee, NC.  I am eastern Band Cherokee.  I am a native storyteller and historian and I travel the US with a program that breaks the stereotypes of Native People. You may also check out my teaching site at:
http://groups.msn.com/RunningbearsDenAgain
This is a group that is about native people and I also teach the Cherokee language there."

THERE IS NO "DIAMOND YONVADISI"  IN THE EASTERN BAND OF CHEROKEE INDIANS!!  The only "full blood Cherokee" named "Diamond" in the Eastern Band who "travels the US with a program that breaks the stereotypes of Native People" is DIAMOND BROWN, Jr. and he had never heard of Robbie Green, Mickey Campbell, or Cathy Blake until the impostors were exposed and confronted  ....and it wasn't pretty 
>>>
Art Jewelry Yonvadisi learns how to bead barrettes on-line to sell as "Authentic Indian Arts and Crafts"   How "Traditional" ec

Direct Quote: "The problem is....How do I attach the beading to the leather?  Is it sewn on?  I have tried gluing it and it is not looking right"
>>>........
Cathy Blake aka SnoopyCathy Cathy Blake aka "Snoopycathy" shows up as part of the Runningbears Den harem somewhere around 2002.  Here she signs a wrestling guest book in her home state of Alabama with "Cathy and Diamond Brown"  I personally questioned this women at Runningbears Den about this post and she told me "I was just playing a joke on Diamond's wife Robbie"  However, when she was physically confronted by Diamond Brown's REAL wife (he only has ONE)  Sandy Brown was told by Cathy Blake "I married Diamond on-line two years ago"   Hmmmm... you have to wonder if Cathy thinks wrestling is real too?
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Runningbears Den  "Native Owned"  ...NOT In this ad for Runningbear's Den on InterTribal Rez  "SnoopyCathy" aka "Cathy Blake" claims that Runningbear's Den is "Native Owned" by the "Runningbear Family" They also promote custom made regalia and their "community board"

If you have purchased regalia from these people thinking it was "Cherokee Made" PLEASE contact us! 
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Mickey Yonvadisi In this screen photo, a white woman named "Mickey Campbell" aka "Melinda Sue Campbell" uses the name "Mickey Yonvadisi" and lists herself as an owner of Runningbears Den on the NC Arts Council website.  She promotes the sale of "Authentic Native American Arts and Crafts" at Runningbears Den.
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DYonvadisi On Rootsweb, "D Yonvadisi" claims to have been born in Snowbird and to have lived in Cherokee for 68 years.  DYonvadisi writes an extensive rant regarding how "he" has been discriminated against for being an Indian.  In this post, the impostors sound more like they are physically describing Diamond Brown Jr.'s elderly FATHER Diamond Brown Sr. who does not know how to operate a computer either.  Nether Brown, father or son, teach, chat, or post on-line!!!!  Diamond Brown Sr.  does not "travel the country teaching" either, he was a cop for 30 years...his son Diamond Jr. is the educator.
>>>....
Wheelchair Junkie Profile In this Wheelchair Junkie profile, Yonvadisi claims to be a "Native Storyteller" whose interests are "keeping my native tradition alive"
Whatever would the real Indian Tribes do without these Faux Indians to keep their Traditions alive?  LOL
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Blog Talk Radio Runningbear's Language Lessons.  "Nothing Scheduled Yet" 
The "Cherokee Teachings" being spewed by "Runningbear" seem to have slacked off since exposer.
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Nukecops Profile These pictures  from "Nukecops" are included mainly for the humor factor.  The person pretending to be "Diamond Yonvadisi"  states their "occupation" is "Old Cherokee"  If you have read this far, you have to appreciate the irony of this claim 
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Diamond Yonvadisi
is an Uncle		In this Bravenet guestbook posting, "Diamond Runningbear" is "UNCLE RB"  Diamond Yonvadisi writes:
"lots of people here in Cherokee that are keeping you in their thoughts and prayers!!!!~Uncle RB"
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Runningbear Admin on
Easternband.com		"Diamond Runningbear" was an administrator on Easternband.com until "he retired"   Easternband.com is a privately owned forum, highly critical of Tribal politics, owned by an Indian named William "Bill" Killian.  Killian was initially suspected by many of playing the role of "Diamond Runningbear" on-line, based on several posts made by the impostors. 

William (Bill) Killian, owner and operator of Easternband.com IS NOT the same person as the "Diamond Runningbear" who was/is an Administrator on Killian's Easternband forum!
Robert RoachA recent addition to the "Runningbear's Den Family" is a man who goes by the name "Robert Roach"  He claims he is "Lakota Sioux from the Pine Ridge Reservation" and teaches "the older traditions of the Lakota peoples"

Oglala Sioux Tribal Authorities deny his claim!!  According to the Lakota Tribal authorities we spoke with, there is NO "Robert Roach" enrolled in their Nation!  
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Robert Roach Admits He is NOT an Indian on the Court DocumentIn a situation just DRIPPING with irony, Roach goes to Court to accuse me of "lying on the Internet" about the fact that he IS NOT Indian, then lists his Race as "OTHER" instead of "Indian" on the Complaint form. ec

As you can see, he clearly had the option of choosing "Indian" as his Race, but he could not legally do so.
Nikko the Wolf?In her Bio, Nikko claims to be a "Eastern Timber Wolf" ... however, it has been reported that Nikko is really a Dog ...specifically a Malamute ... who is impersonating a Wolf at Pow Wows.  After Nikko appeared at several events claiming to be an Eastern Timber Wolf, we took photos to a local vet who quickly confirmed our suspicions stating "Yup, that's a dog."  We were also told that Nikko doesn't know anything about computers and someone from the "Runningbear's Den Family" is posting these claims regarding her origins without her knowledge.    While Nikko may have a distant relative who was a WHITE (Arctic) Wolf, she is a descendant, NOT an enrolled member of any of the very few remaining packs of Eastern Timber Wolves.  Unfortunately we were unable to contact the Alpha of Nikko's alleged pack, and DNA tests can not as yet tell any difference between a dog and a wolf genetically. Look at the photos, read what the experts have to say, then judge for yourself.
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Dog has Blogs Here Nikko reveals her innermost feelings on Dogstar and "Diamond Runningbear" suddenly gets a SEX CHANGE    Oh, and Nikko has a private stash of HUMAN REMAINS too!
Alrighty then...so now we have a Faux Lakota blogging as a Faux Wolf about a cross dressing Faux Cherokee???  Now there's a headline for ya..  "faux Dakota dictates for dog dragging dead to Diamond dressed in drag??"  ec

Oh my goodness...this one's just got to have its very own Faux Filk ...maybe to the tune of the "Immigrant Song?"
We come from the land of the ice and snow,
but we wear a lot of feathers so no one will know,
We're WHITEEEEEEEEE
Hmmm...needs some work, but fortunately "white" and "transvestite" rhyme
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Faux Indian
Faux Indian "Grandmother" "Clan Mother"  "Medicine Woman"  "Chief" & "Tribe" Links
{If you can't access a page, it is because we are not finished with that section yet.  Please check back for updates}
            Internal Links External links                    
The Making of a Faux Indian Grandmother  Runningbears Den Impostors ..... On the Wings Of Eagles
Snowbird Con Clan History UPCN Toy Stuffy Scam American Indian Heritage Support Center
Faux Clan Mother FolliesPale Moon Madness TaleBeademan's Blog
Stolen Stones, Broken Faith The WOLE Story Spirit in the Wind - Fraud Alert
Sadism in Susquehannock "Priesthood" Yes UCAN.. No You Can't! Color Lines - Charity Scams
Kinky Clan Mother Connections Trolling Blunder's Blood Club Turtle Talk - Indian Frauds
Faux Lenape Lust WisdomStealers I Steal From Indians
Council of Cutthroats Grandmother Gimme Gimme
NVI Monster Name & Race ChangeClimbing Snake in the Grass

Convicted Sexual Predator Lists
Internal Links External links
Pow Wow Predators ......................... New England Pow Wow Sex Offenders
Pagan Predators National Sex Offender Look-Up


PLEASE NOTE:
We contact Tribal Officials directly when checking out someone's public teaching credentials.  It's not difficult.  We fax the Tribe a copy of whatever the person is claiming and ask "Is this true?" Then we post the Tribal contact number so other reporters can do their own verifications. We're not talking rocket surgery here folks 
If Roach or anyone else has a problem with the information we receive from a Tribe, they need to TAKE IT UP WITH THAT TRIBAL OFFICE!!  
If there has been some kind of mistake...someone is using an assumed name, etc. ... we will gladly re-contact the Tribal authorities in question.  If there is ever a change in what the official representative of the Treaty Tribe tells us, we will post any corrections RIGHT HERE!

We don't ask to see enrollment cards or paperwork...because we have no idea what we are looking at!  There are approx 500 real Treaty Tribes and they all issue different ID's to their citizens. Considering what can be created on a computer these days, how could any average non Indian possibly tell what's authentic and what isn't without calling and asking the real Indians?   We just want to hear "Yes" or "No"  directly from an official contact within the Federally Recognized Tribe the Public Figure claims to be a member of.
If the person is in fact, an enrolled member of a Recognized Tribe, we will say so.....in bold print.... and take down anything else about that individual.  What a member of a Treaty Tribe wants to do with their own culture is between them and their Tribe.  If someone doesn't like what a Federally Recognized Tribal member is doing...please go take it up with their Nation, not a bunch of white folks.  
So far, we have not had one single enrolled member of a Federally Recognized Indian Nation object to our verification process.  Quite the opposite in fact.  Those we have contacted appreciate the effort 'cause they are sick and tired of people exploiting their Tribe's name.

  There are TOO MANY FRAUDS running around raping Indian culture not to check out the public claims being made in promotional literature.  If an enrolled Tribal member is teaching or performing publicly under an assumed name, it is on them to let their own Tribe know.  Considering the current "fraud" to "enrolled" ratio, we don't think this is too much to ask of anyone who wishs to trade upon their credentials in the Anglo dominated world of commercialism.  Hopefully more and more event producers will validate a Presenter's claims of Tribal enrollment BEFORE hiring them!

These are our policies and principles.  If you don't like them, feel free to go create your own website and make up your own rules 


Disclaimer...sorta: Truth is our absolute defense.  We have made every effort humanly possible to verify the accuracy of the material contained on these web pages.  If you think we've gotten something wrong, prove it and we'll fix it.  If you just don't like us posting the truth about a self proclaimed Guru  because it's embarrassing to him/her...to bad, the truth will be told!   If you threaten us with harm, we'll call the cops.  If you sue us, we'll sue you back.  If by some chance the Courts reverse their recognition of screen shots as "Fair Use"  .. we'll  get a friend in Asia, Russia or maybe Sweden to take over the site.  If  benevolent space aliens from a distant galaxy  offer to beam us to a Utopian Earth future  where there is no war, disease,  hate, or Internet...  screw you guys, we're outa here