Montana Auditor Suspends Bail Bondsman’s License for Allegedly Trading Service for Sex Acts

David Erickson | Lee Enterprises | August 5, 2026 Montana’s State Auditor James Brown on Tuesday announced that he’s suspending the insurance producer license of a bail bondsman based in Kalispell due to allegations that he exploited customers, including trading his services for sexual favors… “After a thorough investigation, I acted swiftly to protect the … Read more

Montana Uncovers More Alleged Insurance Fraud Targeting Tribes

Michael Foth | Mix 97.1 | July 21, 2026 A second health insurance company doing business in Montana has been caught up in a massive fraud scheme that allegedly targeted Native American communities, according to State Auditor and Commissioner of Securities and Insurance James Brown. Brown announced this week that his office helped stop more … Read more

State Auditor Warns of Senior-Targeted Scams

Enterprise Staff | Livingston Enterprise | July 28, 2026 Older Montanans are frequently targeted by perpetrators of financial abuse and fraud schemes, according to the office of Montana State Auditor James Brown. “Fraudsters and scammers often target older Montanans because of their larger savings and retirement account balances, as well as their increased vulnerability due … Read more

Montana MLMs Can Cut Fines by Registering Before Aug. 31

Michael Santoscoy | NonStop Local | July 8, 2026 HELENA, Mont. — A new state program is giving multi-level marketing companies operating illegally in Montana a chance to comply with the law and pay reduced fines. Montana State Auditor James Brown is leading the effort. He said 30 MLMs are properly registered with the State … Read more

Montana Land Board battles American Prairie in new bison lands lawsuit

 Bowen West | April 1, 2026 Image by: Hunter D’Antuono | Flathead Beacon A new lawsuit over American Prairie’s bison herd is becoming a fight over the future of Montana’s public lands. The American Prairie nonprofit has sued the Montana state Land Board and the Department of Natural Resources and Conservation over a decision to … Read more

Romance Scams On The Rise In Montana Ahead Of Valentine’s Day

Michael Teeple | NonStop Local As Valentine’s Day approaches, the risk of falling victim to romance scams increases, with many in Gallatin Valley losing thousands of dollars.   Romance scams have become a common method for scammers to defraud unsuspecting individuals seeking companionship.   According to the State Auditor’s Office, scammers create fake online profiles, often on dating apps, to steal … Read more

Fewer Montanans enroll in health care marketplace following expiration of ACA subsidies

Thom Bridge | Bozeman Daily Chronicle Fewer Montanans have chosen to enroll in marketplace health plans this year, an outcome foreshadowed by health policy experts who warned that letting subsidies lapse would lead people to gamble on foregoing insurance coverage rather than pay sky high premiums. Last year’s federal government shutdown — the longest ever-recorded … Read more

Blue Cross Blue Shield argues state investigation should be halted

Jordan Hansen | Daily Montanan Blue Cross Blue Shield fought this week in Lewis and Clark County District Court to stop the Montana Commissioner of Securities and Insurance from moving ahead with an investigation into a massive data breach, affecting more than 460,000 Montanans.  Montana’s largest insurance carrier told Judge Christopher Abbott the process has … Read more