Small Colorado Town Victimized by Financial Fraud
Erie town staff say the contractor payments were transferred into an account that SEMA Construction had not requested or authorized.
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The small town of Erie, Colo., 22 miles north of Denver, has been victimized by banking fraud involving more than $1 million in payments to a highway contractor.
Erie Town Administrator Malcolm Fleming revealed the fraud in an email at the end of December. In late October, an unknown person completed a form on Erie’s website requesting payment by electronic funds transfer for work done by SEMA Construction on the new Erie Parkway bridge.
But SEMA didn’t request the change. After the town sent the two EFT payments, totaling $1,016,233.80, into the account, the money was transferred out of the country. SEMA has been paid in full by physical checks from the town’s transportation impact fund, and Erie officials have filed an insurance claim for the loss.
