In a dramatic turn of events, the Navajo Nation Council has postponed its inquiry into the ZenniHome controversy until next month. During the initial hearings, a witness made a startling accusation against her former business partner, shedding new light on the ongoing investigation.
Tamarah Begay, the founder of Indigenous Design Studio + Architecture, appeared with her legal team in Window Rock before the Budget and Finance Committee. She asserted, “They’ve made accusations — untrue, fabricated, distorted — and for too long my voice has been overshadowed by unhealthy and biased narratives.” She continued, “So today, I reclaim it. I am not a thief, and I am not a criminal.”
Begay’s firm had engaged the now-insolvent ZenniHome, previously located in Mesa, to produce 160 modular homes at the former Navajo Generating Station. However, out of the $24 million allocated from the American Rescue Plan Act, only 18 structures were completed, leading Begay to file a lawsuit in Maricopa County Superior Court to recover the federal funds.
Despite advisories from the Navajo Nation Department of Justice against public testimony on the failed multimillion-dollar project, an employee defied the guidance to provide evidence earlier in the week. Begay expressed her willingness to assist the Navajo Nation, stating, “I want to cooperate and help the Navajo Nation any way that I can. I am devastated by what happened here, and I believe I have been targeted and victimized during this whole entire process.”
The housing crisis on the Navajo Nation, which spans Arizona, Utah, and New Mexico, requires approximately 30,000 new homes. Begay believed ZenniHome shared her values and could contribute to alleviating this shortage. However, Council Delegate Lester Yazzie questioned whether due diligence was conducted on ZenniHome’s capability to manage such a complex project. Begay responded, “We don’t ask our consultants about that, but Bob Worsley has had a successful business. He ran the SkyMall,” noting that she had visited Worsley’s Mesa facility to verify their operations visually.
Further complicating matters, Begay accused ZenniHome CEO Bob Worsley, a former Arizona state senator, of forging her signature on documents submitted to the state of Arizona under the entity HozhoniHome. A 2023 filing with the Arizona Corporation Commission established an LLC naming Begay’s firm as a member. HozhoniHome is listed among numerous ZenniHome-affiliated companies that have declared bankruptcy in Delaware.
Legal counsel Myles Lewallen clarified that while no documents with Begay’s forged signature have been identified, the LLC was formed “without her consent and against her express direction.” Business attorney Paul Ellsworth formalized the LLC as a partnership between IDS+A and ZenniHome, identifying Worsley as the manager. Despite being subpoenaed, Worsley and Ellsworth have not yet commented on the situation.
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