VENTURA COUNTY, Calif. — A longtime bookkeeper for a Ventura County aviation company has been convicted of embezzling over $527,000 in a scheme that spanned more than half a decade.
James Matthew Godsey, 44, of Camarillo, was found guilty of six felony counts of grand theft for stealing from Channel Islands Aviation, where he was entrusted with managing payroll and accounts payable.
According to Ventura County District Attorney Erik Nasarenko, the thefts occurred from 2017 to 2023, during which Godsey inflated his own paychecks by issuing unauthorized bonuses and wages, and also filed fake expense reimbursements.
The jury also found that the crimes involved special circumstances, including losses exceeding $100,000 and abuse of a position of trust.
The theft went undetected for years due to a lack of oversight — a fact exploited by Godsey. The fraud was uncovered only after new ownership conducted a routine audit, exposing years of financial irregularities.
“Trust without oversight creates opportunity for theft,” said Senior Deputy District Attorney Marc Leventhal, who prosecuted the case as part of the Special Prosecutions Fraud and Technology Crimes Unit. “Employers should conduct regular audits and supervise those managing finances.”
Godsey is scheduled to be sentenced on October 21, 2025, at 8:30 a.m. in Ventura County Superior Court. He remains free on $10,000 bond while awaiting sentencing.
