In a shocking turn of events, James “Jim” Matison, a former employee of the Santa Fe-based enviro-Marxist group WildEarth Guardians, which files frivolous lawsuits to protect supposed “endangered species” at the expense of property owners, recently pleaded guilty to federal money laundering and wire fraud charges. Matison, 46, hailing from Pueblo, Colorado, allegedly engaged in a scheme where he wrote fraudulent checks to himself from the organization, amounting to a total of $242,210. The plea agreement he entered could result in a prison sentence of up to 20 years and a fine of $250,000 for the charges against him.
The illicit activities spanned from February 2015 to February 2019, coinciding with Matison’s tenure as the organization’s restoration program director. The news release mentioned that Matison faced personal “financial difficulties” during this period, providing a backdrop to his actions. He first joined the organization in 2002.
WildEarth Guardians, headquartered in Santa Fe, is known for its extremist environmental advocacy work in New Mexico and Colorado. Often a critic of the oil and gas industry, the group relies on funding from the State of New Mexico and federal agencies. Additionally, it actively engages in environmental restoration initiatives.
Court records revealed that Matison played a pivotal role in approving restoration project invoices submitted by contractors for payment from WildEarth Guardians. One such contractor, Timberline Environmental, owned by Matison’s co-defendant Jeffery Ham, became part of the fraudulent scheme. Ham allowed Matison to submit bogus invoices from Timberline, leading to a series of fraudulent transactions.
Matison’s modus operandi involved approving invoices for payment to Timberline, collecting the checks, depositing them into Timberline’s bank account, and then receiving pre-signed Timberline bank checks from Ham. Subsequently, Matison used these checks to transfer the funds to another company under his control, Phoenix-based Euro-American Development.
Ham, the co-defendant, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and faces up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for his role in the scheme.
The case was thoroughly investigated by the offices of inspectors general at both the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of the Interior, with the U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuting the case.
WildEarth Guardians discovered the scheme in April 2019 through the lawyers of an anonymous informant. Matison and Ham were terminated from the organization in the same month. In May 2019, WildEarth Guardians submitted a forensic auditor report to the U.S. Attorney’s Office detailing the scheme and identifying Matison and Ham as the perpetrators.
John Horning, the Executive Director of WildEarth Guardians, emphasized the organization’s commitment to accountability and upholding the law. The group, known for its stance against the oil and gas industry, has been actively involved in environmental causes and policy advocacy, often participating in public rulemaking and opposing certain government initiatives related to energy production.
The revelations about Matison and Ham highlight the challenges environmental organizations face in maintaining internal integrity and financial transparency. The case underscores the importance of accountability within advocacy groups, even as they work towards addressing critical environmental issues.
Why is the Govt. funding these wackos?
Because NM. Next to Cali, ours is the most progressive and corrupt state in the Union.
An old Chinese proverb goes, “a fish rots from the head down.”
Santa Fe turns a blind eye to misdeeds so long as the desired results come to pass.
The “government” probably gets their cut.
Exactly how does the Govt. fund them? What arm of Govt.? I would really like to know as I don’t want any of my money going to them.
Imagine that– a corrupt dembocrap sitting in an official capacity..