WildEarth Guardians Fleece: Duo Charged in $250K Scam

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – A pair of men are facing the music in federal court after allegedly pilfering over a quarter of a million dollars from the environmental group WildEarth Guardians. James I. Matison, 57, of Boulder, CO, and Jeffrey Ham, 46, of El Prado, NM, made their initial appearances today on charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering.

The scheme, according to court documents, ran from February 2015 through April 2019. Matison, an employee of WildEarth Guardians, allegedly teamed up with Ham, whose company, Timberline Environmental, LLC, was used to inflate the number of hours billed to the organization. It was a classic setup: fake hours, phantom work, and a whole lot of missing cash.

Federal investigators say the pair diverted more than $250,000 from WildEarth Guardians, effectively lining their pockets with funds meant for environmental advocacy. The indictment doesn’t detail exactly *how* the inflated hours were submitted or what services, if any, were actually provided, but the bottom line is clear: someone was cooking the books.

“The Environmental Protection Agency Office of Inspector General is committed to providing strong oversight for grants and contracts,” stated Special Agent in Charge Garrett J. Westfall of the EPA OIG’s Western Division. “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.” The DOI OIG echoed that sentiment, vowing to protect the integrity of taxpayer money.

Jamie DePaepe, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of the Interior Office of Inspector General’s Western Region, said his office is “committed to…aggressively investigating allegations of theft within DOI and other federal programs.” This isn’t just about the money; it’s about the principle. Every dollar stolen is a dollar not going to the programs it was intended for.

Both Matison and Ham face a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison if convicted. Remember, a complaint is just an allegation, and both men are presumed innocent until proven guilty. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy Peña, with investigation support from the EPA and DOI Offices of Inspector General. Grimy Times will continue to follow this case and bring you updates as they develop.