Cases by state
Ponzi schemes in Montana
9 cases announced 2009–2024, involving about $44.4M in reported investor money. Most common types: investment funds & advisory, real estate and trading, forex & commodities. Listed by where the main defendant was based.
The largest by reported amount: Cornerstone Financial Corporation, K & B Investments LLC ($14.3M, 2009). Charges are allegations unless a court has entered a conviction or judgment.
Pitch phrases seen in these cases
- “built custom timber frame homes across the united states”
- “consistently lied to them and made excuses about the lack of progress”
- “120% interest”
- “he has oil leases registered in lewis and clark county”
- “investing it to their benefit”
- “100 percent returns every 90 days”
- “remarkable returns”
- “high rate of return, typically 15% annually”
Cases
| Date | Case | Location | Industry | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 20, 2024 | Bitterroot Timber Frames, Three Mile Creek Post & Beam LLC Brett Mauri |
Stevensville, MT | Investment funds & advisory | $2M |
| May 31, 2024 | Isotex Health LLC Michael Rabb, Byron Gruber, Jason Bradley Cross, Eugene Elfrank |
Bozeman, MT | Investment funds & advisory | $6M |
| Aug 27, 2019 | Hartman Wright Group LLC Tytus W. Harkins |
MT | Real estate | $8.8M |
| Sep 23, 2016 | Big Sky Mineral Resources John Kevin Moore |
Bigfork, MT | Energy & alternative assets | $2.7M |
| May 23, 2016 | Catherine Ann Finberg | Columbia Falls, MT | Trading, forex & commodities | $1.3M |
| Jun 18, 2015 | Richard Brandt | Miles City, MT | Investment funds & advisory | $2M |
| Jul 9, 2012 | Richard Franklin Reynolds (aka Richard Adkins) | Bozeman, MT | Trading, forex & commodities | $5.3M |
| Jan 14, 2010 | KMS Financial Services Inc Arthur L. Heffelfinger |
East Helena, MT | Real estate | $2M |
| Apr 16, 2009 | Cornerstone Financial Corporation, K & B Investments LLC Keith Kovick, Robert Congdon |
Polson, MT | Lending & cash advance | $14.3M |