Montana Official Who Stole $300k Gets 3 Years In Prison

Abuse Of Power Feels All Too Familiar

Turn on the news lately, and it feels like the same story over and over again. Someone in a position of trust decides the rules do not apply to them.

From there, fraud and abuse take over, and the longer it goes on, the bolder it gets.

Former Montana Heritage Official Charged

That kind of thing can be really frustrating for everyday Montana residents who get up, go to work, and try to do the right thing.

If that sounds like you, you might be glad to hear that someone who thought they were untouchable is finally facing some serious consequences.

According to court records, Michael Elijah Allen, who became executive director of the Heritage Commission in 2012, was accused of embezzling nearly $300,000 between 2020 and early 2024.

Prosecutors said he used taxpayer money for personal expenses, including rent, travel, divorce fees, and even a tattoo.

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Fraud Charges And Court Sentencing Details

Investigators alleged Allen used shell companies and fake projects to move the money around. In some cases, he claimed he was traveling for work to acquire historic artifacts when he was really just pocketing the cash.

Allen faced two counts of theft by embezzlement and one count of money laundering, which carried a potential sentence of up to 40 years in prison.

Earlier this month, he was sentenced to 10 years, with seven of those years suspended, meaning he will only spend three years at the Montana State Prison. He was also ordered to pay $280,000 in restitution.

Read the full story from The MSU Exponent here.