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 alleges that Barr defrauded SurvWest, LLC, a surveying company where he was the majority shareholder, to acquire over $843,452 for personal use. This amount was reportedly used to purchase luxury vehicles including an Aston Martin convertible and other high-end cars.
Additionally, Barr is accused of participating in a scheme to defraud the Small Business Administration and other entities to obtain more than $2.3 million in COVID-19 relief funds during the pandemic.
Barr made his initial court appearance on January 7 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathryn A. Starnella. It is important to note that these charges are allegations at this stage, and Barr is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
The Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation’s Denver Field Office is leading the investigation into this case. Assistant United States Attorneys Taylor Glogiewicz and Craig Fansler are prosecuting.
This case falls under the purview of one of five national COVID-19 Fraud Strike Force Teams established by the Department of Justice in July 2023. These teams focus on combating large-scale pandemic relief fraud involving criminal organizations and transnational actors.
For those with information regarding attempted COVID-19 related fraud, reports can be made through the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline or their online complaint form.