By Bob Cooper | Guest Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice
Thousands of Coloradans may unknowingly appear in federal campaign finance records—raising major questions about identity theft and political money laundering.
Up to 4,000 Coloradans may have had their identities stolen – and none of them know it. That’s because the theft may be part of a massive political money laundering scheme involving groups like ActBlue.
ActBlue, a political fundraising platform that has facilitated $3.7 billion in contributions to Democrat campaigns, is under federal investigation. Multiple directors have resigned in recent months, according to reporting from the New York Times.
Now, thanks to a searchable tool created by The America Project, it’s possible to investigate suspicious political contributions by ZIP code. The tool reveals names of individuals who made over 100 political donations in a single election cycle (24 months). That volume of giving – often in small, repeated amounts – is not typical and may indicate money laundering.
Who donates like that?
The database shows transaction-level details: names, dates, amounts, recipient organizations, and a link to the original Federal Election Commission (FEC) record. Many donors appear to have made multiple contributions on the same day – some even daily. Here are just a few examples pulled from public records:
- Sonya, Fort Collins:
A 79-year-old woman in assisted living in ZIP 80524 is listed as having made 46,000 donations since 2016, averaging $6.39 per transaction – totaling $294,000. Recipients include ActBlue, Schiff for Senate, and Elect Diverse Democrats. - Hershel, Englewood:
A 94-year-old condo resident near the Tech Center living in ZIP 80111 reportedly made 18,500 donations totaling over $201,000 in the last four years. - Edison, Denver:
An 87-year-old man living in ZIP 80231 is listed as making 15,500 contributions from 2022 to 2024, worth $259,000—an average of 29 transactions per day. - Diane, Boulder:
This 87-year-old woman living in ZIP 80305 is recorded as having made 10,000 donations totaling $577,000. On just one day – December 26, 2024 – she gave six times to ActBlue. - Lisbeth, Durango:
A 75-year-old woman living in ZIP 81303 is listed with 9,400 contributions since 2016, totaling $38,000, with many transactions under $4 – including 14 separate donations on December 30, 2024.
Even smaller records raise red flags. Consider:
- Francesca, Grand Junction:
Francesca, 66, living in ZIP 81506 shows up in the records with 114 political donations over the last two years, totaling about $1,700. On just one day – July 15, 2024 – she’s listed as giving nine times, some for as little as $3.
It’s important to be clear: none of the people listed have done anything wrong. Odds are, they don’t even know these contributions are being made in their name. That’s what makes this so disturbing.
If this pattern holds up, it could point to one of the biggest identity theft and campaign finance scandals Colorado has ever seen.
This story isn’t over. In my next commentary, I’ll report what happened when we contacted some of the donors named in these records – and whether they even knew about the contributions. What we uncover could shed new light on just how deep this goes.
You can research your own ZIP code using the tool provided by The America Project. Visit the “Election Integrity” section at the bottom of their homepage.
Editor’s note: Opinions expressed in commentary pieces are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the management of the Rocky Mountain Voice, but even so we support the constitutional right of the author to express those opinions.