ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — A bold scheme to siphon over $250,000 from an environmental group has landed two men in hot water. James I. Matison, 57, of Boulder, CO, and Jeffrey Ham, 46, from El Prado, NM, have been charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering.
According to court documents, the duo masterminded a scheme to inflate hours billed to Matison’s employer, WildEarth Guardians. They did this by using the company Ham owned, Timberline Environmental, LLC. The pair managed to divert an astonishing $250,000 from the group over a span of four years, from February 2015 through April 2019.
Special Agent in Charge Garrett J. Westfall of the EPA OIG’s Western Division emphasized the agency’s commitment to oversight and accountability. “The Environmental Protection Agency Office of Inspector General is committed to providing strong oversight for grants and contracts,” he stated. “With our law enforcement partners, we will hold recipients accountable for ensuring that they use taxpayer funds for their intended purposes in accordance with federal regulations.”
Jamie DePaepe, Special Agent in Charge of the DOI Office of Inspector General’s Western Region, echoed this sentiment: “The Department of the Interior (DOI) Office of Inspector General is committed to working with our law enforcement partners in protecting the integrity of taxpayer funds and aggressively investigating allegations of theft within DOI and other federal programs.”
A complaint is an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Matison and Ham both face 20 years in prison.
This investigation was a collaborative effort between the EPA OIG and the DOI Office of Inspector General, with Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy Peña leading the prosecution.
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Key Facts
- State: New Mexico
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
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