Rent-a-tribe
An arrangement where non-tribal financiers use a tribe’s name and immunity to make high-rate loans they otherwise couldn’t.
What "rent-a-tribe" means
"Rent-a-tribe" describes a lending scheme in which a non-tribal company provides the capital, technology, marketing, underwriting and collections, while a tribe lends its name and sovereign immunity in exchange for a share of revenue — often a small one. Court filings against several tribal lenders allege the tribe receives only 1–3% of the money.
It is the central legal allegation in most tribal-lending class actions. If a court finds the tribe is merely renting its sovereignty rather than genuinely operating the business, the immunity defense can collapse and the loans can be treated as ordinary, illegal high-interest debt.