Colorado Federal IT Worker Stole $1 Million From Federal Agency Through Fake Invoices

By Logan Smith | CBS Colorado

A 55-year-old Colorado man who worked for the federal government was sentenced to prison this week for fraudulently diverting approximately $1 million from his employer for personal use.

James Montoya, of Lakewood, was sentenced Tuesday to 41 months behind bars. He was also ordered to repay $1,122,009.47.

Montoya was employed as an information technology specialist for the United States Geological Survey, which has offices in Lakewood. He was hired by the agency in 1996 and started working in an IT position in 2002. 

A year later, Montoya began falsifying expense reports in order to shift money to personal PayPal accounts, per case documents. The activity wasn’t noticed until 15 years later. Then, in 2023, an examination of employee accounts by the U.S. Department of the Interior (which oversees the USGS) drew attention to Montoya’s accounts. 

“An investigation revealed that Montoya successfully concealed improper purchases for years by submitting altered receipts, and fictitious invoices and other documentation to USGS, claiming that these purchases were for IT-related items or services,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado stated in a press release. “In fact, the defendant did not provide any IT-related items or services to USGS and many of these purchases were for personal items, including, but not limited to, vintage and collectible toys as well as car parts.”

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