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SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - Yellowknives Dene First Nations is furious over allegations made against them concerning Impact Benefits Payments owed to an out-of-town member, according to the band's chief executive officer.

Theresa Baxter, who was adopted outside of the band at an early age, recently received back payments but argues that she is owed more than what she received.

John Carter, Yellowknives chief executive officer, flat out denied the allegation. He said money had been put aside for her since 2000 when payments commenced but because they didn't know who she was, she only received them now.

"That money was waiting and so was the two $500 payments for her two kids," Carter said. "The other child wasn't registered. She got everything she was entitled to, just like every band member."

Baxter argued that back payments to her children are missing. Carter said she won't get the money she expects because back payments are not kept for children because it would it be too difficult to track, so children will only receive payments once they are registered.

"She registered her children on the seventh of December, 2007," he said. "We don't make back payments for children because if we had a policy like that how would we control our budget? There are no back payments and never have been and that was explained to her."

The 43-year-old California resident was born in Yellowknife to Mary Crookedhand Thomas and Isodore Gibot Thomas, then put into foster care when she was one-year-old after her mother fell ill with tuberculosis. She was recently reunited with her family in Yellowknife this past July.

Carter said the misinformation on how the payments are administered have played a part in the escalation of the issue.

"If I had a dime for the amount of misinformation that goes around in either community (Ndilo and Dettah), I'd be a rich man," he said. "If you want to know the rules, you can contact the band office and speak to the professional staff that administers these programs."

Baxter had previously said she would file a formal complaint against the band if she didn't receive the payments. Carter said he is not concerned about the possibility.

"She can go ahead and file a complaint," he said. "She's totally 100 per cent dead wrong. She's trying to threaten us and it's just not going to work. (Dettah Chief Eddie Sangris) and I bent over backwards to help Ms. Baxter out."

Baxter was unavailable for comment.