Boulder man pleads guilty in $32M mortgage fraud, identity theft scheme

BOULDER — Michael Leslie, owner of mortgage origination firm Montage Mortgage, pleaded guilty Friday guilty to federal bank fraud and aggravated identity theft charges, according to the U.S. Justice Department.

“Through [his Colorado mortgage origination and financing] business entities, Leslie sold residential mortgage loans to investors, including an FDIC-insured bank in Texas,” according to a government news release. “Between October 2015 and October 2017, Leslie devised and executed a scheme to defraud the victim bank by selling it 144 fraudulent residential mortgage loans valued at $31,908,806.88.”

Colorado Secretary of State records show a Montage Mortgage Inc. with registration…