United States Attorney Cole Finegan | U.S. Department of Justice
Mathew Barr, a 50-year-old resident of Aurora, Colorado, has been indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of wire fraud and money laundering. The indictment relates to schemes that allegedly defrauded a surveying company and misused COVID-19 relief funds.
According to the indictment, from June 2019 to November 2022, Barr is accused of defrauding SurvWest, LLC, where he was the majority shareholder. He reportedly acquired over $843,452 for personal use, including purchasing luxury vehicles such as an Aston Martin convertible, a Land Rover Range Rover Sport, and a Mercedes Benz G63.
The indictment also claims Barr engaged in fraudulent activities targeting the Small Business Administration and others to secure more than $2.3 million in emergency COVID-19 relief funds during the pandemic.
On January 7, 2025, Barr appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathryn A. Starnella for his initial court appearance. It is important to note that these charges are allegations; Barr is presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
The Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation's Denver Field Office is investigating this case. Assistant United States Attorneys Taylor Glogiewicz and Craig Fansler are leading the prosecution.
In July 2023, the Attorney General appointed the District of Colorado’s U.S. Attorney’s Office to lead one of five national COVID-19 Fraud Strike Force Teams. These teams aim to combat large-scale pandemic relief fraud by combining law enforcement with prosecutorial resources.
Individuals with information regarding attempted fraud related to COVID-19 can report it via the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline or through their online complaint form.
