A Midland man is facing a felony charge after allegedly stealing over $51,000 from a local 4-H organization’s bank account over an 18-month period.
Matthew Clinton Keys has been charged with misapplication of fiduciary property, according to a probable cause document.
The case began on June 15, when a representative from the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service and the Ector and Midland County 4-H program reported potential financial discrepancies to the Midland County Sheriff’s Office.
The complaint informed investigators that the organization had not performed fundraising activities since 2019 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. When plans were made to restart those activities in 2026, a review of the group’s accounts found that funds raised in 2018 and 2019 were no longer in the account.
Investigators identified Keys as the organization’s treasurer during that time. According to court filings, he was in charge of managing the group’s funds.
A study of bank records found several transactions from the organization’s account to Keys’ personal bank account, followed by payments to his personal credit card. Investigators believe a total of $51,498.38 was misappropriated between June 2018 and November 2019.
The organization’s policies forbid cash withdrawals from its bank account. Investigators claim Keys took a $7,000 cash withdrawal on December 21, 2018, the first unlawful transaction discovered during the financial investigation.
Investigators stated that the unlawful transactions significantly depleted the organization’s bank account and were unrelated to genuine organizational needs.
The complainant also told investigators that he had relied on financial papers that were later found to be fraudulent, causing him to believe the organization’s funds were still intact.
Investigators decided that there was reasonable cause to think Keys willfully, knowingly, or recklessly misappropriated monies entrusted to him as the organization’s chosen treasurer, based on witness statements, bank records, and financial papers.
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