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⚫ {{short description|Computer software designer (born 1953)}}
{{Pp|small=yes}}
{{Infobox person {{Infobox person
| name = Dennis L. Montgomery | name = Dennis L. Montgomery
| image = | image =
| caption = | caption =
| birth_date = July 9, 1953 | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1953|07|9}}
| birth_place = ], U.S. | birth_place = ]
| nationality = American | nationality = American
| occupation = Software designer | occupation = Software designer
⚫ }}
| spouse = Brenda Kathleen Tate (m. 1974)
| children = Brian Thomas Montgomery, b. 1976<br>Steven Lee Montgomery, b.1979<br>Kathleen Ann Burgyan, b.1981
| residence = ],U.S.}}


'''Dennis Lee Montgomery''' (born 1953) is an American software designer and former medical technician credited with "bamboozling" federal officials into purchasing computer programs he claimed would decode secret Al Qaeda messages hidden in ] broadcasts and identify terrorists based on predator drone videos.<ref>, by Eric Lichtblau and James Risen, New York Times, February 19, 2012.</ref> A 2010 Playboy Magazine investigation called Montgomery, "The man who conned the Pentagon" winning millions in federal contracts for his terrorist exposing intelligence software.<ref>, by Aram Roston, Playboy Magazine, January 2010.{{subscription required}}</ref> The software was later exposed as an elaborate "hoax" and Montgomery's own lawyer Michael J. Flynn called him a "con artist" and "habitual liar engaged in fraud".<ref>, by Christopher Williams, The Register (UK), December 24, 2009.</ref> '''Dennis Lee Montgomery''' (born July 9, 1953) is an American software designer and former medical technician who sold computer programs to federal officials that he claimed would decode secret ] messages hidden in ] broadcasts and identify terrorists based on ] videos.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/20/us/politics/20data.html|title=Hiding Details of Dubious Deal, U.S. Invokes National Security |first1=Eric |last1=Lichtblau |first2=James |last2=Risen |newspaper=] |date=February 19, 2012}}</ref> A 2010 '']'' investigation called Montgomery "The man who conned the Pentagon", saying he won millions in federal contracts for his supposed terrorist-exposing intelligence software.<ref>, () by Aram Roston, ''Playboy'', January 2010. {{Subscription required}}</ref> The software was later reported to have been an elaborate hoax and Montgomery's former lawyer called him a "con artist" and "habitual liar engaged in fraud".<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/12/24/cia_montgomery/ |title=Software fraudster fooled CIA into terror alert |first=Christopher |last=Williams |website=] (UK) |date=December 24, 2009 |access-date=21 February 2017}}</ref>


==Career==
==Education and career==
⚫ ===eTreppid Technologies, LLC===
Dennis Montgomery is a former medical technician originally from ]. Montgomery attended ] where he received an ] in medical technology in 1973. He worked as a biomedical technician for San Diego area hospitals from 1973 to 1990 before becoming a computer software consultant. Montgomery was then employed at 3Net Systems, a financially struggling Sacramento-based medical software company<ref>, by Mark Larson, Sacramento Business Journal, June 15, 1997.</ref> until 1996. In 1998 he co-founded eTreppid Technologies with partner Warren Trepp to develop video compression and noise filtering software for the gaming and casino industries.<ref>, Bloomberg, August 29, 2008.</ref> Montgomery and Trepp evolved their offerings for military applications and in 2004 won a no-bid contract with the Department of Defense. Following a dispute over software ownership Montgomery was separated from eTreppid in 2006 and formed a new venture with billionaire backers Edra and ] called OpSpring which was later renamed Blxware where he had the title of Chief Scientist.<ref>, by David Kihara, Las Vegas Review-Journal, June 7, 2009.</ref> Blxware was dissolved as part of the Blixseth's 2009 divorce and bankruptcy.<ref>, by Jonathan Weber, New West, June 11, 2009.</ref>
Montgomery became a partner in 1998 to ], the former chief ] trader for ] at ],<ref name="lvrj20090607">{{Cite news |last=Kihara |first=David |date=June 7, 2009 |title=True Believers: Nevada company's troubles entangle Gibbons, federal government |url=http://www.lvrj.com/news/47141377.html |newspaper=]}}</ref> and another investor, Wayne Prim, to develop and sell ], video, and ] software under the banner eTreppid Technologies. As ] and ] of eTreppid, Montgomery led the company's efforts to develop the company's software and promote it to government agencies associated with tracking terrorist activities. In 2004, eTreppid was awarded a $30 million ] with ] and was ranked the 16th-largest defense contractor that year, according to '']''.<ref name="nvtoday20091224">, Nevada Today, February 2008.</ref>


⚫ ===Blxware partnership===
===Patents and software copyrights===
⚫ After his separation from eTreppid, Montgomery joined with Edra and ] to bring his alleged terrorist tracking software to other U.S. and foreign government clients. With the Blixseths and former presidential candidate ], he helped form OpSpring LLC, later renamed Blxware. Via Blxware, Montgomery, acting ],<ref name="lvrj20090607" /> pursued selling his terror tracking software to the U.S. and Israel governments, leveraging political connections of the Blixseth partnership.<ref name="lvrj20090607" /> Blxware's owners Edra and Tim Blixseth divorced in 2008 and Blxware became part of Edra Blixseth's sole property. She filed for personal bankruptcy in 2009, which resulted in a ] of her assets, including Blxware and its associated software and intellectual property.<ref name="Yellowstone">, by Jonathan Weber, New West, June 11, 2009.</ref>
Dennis Montgomery has applied for 11 and has been granted five patents for software and systems ranging from programs designed to gather data from casino gaming tables to his now infamous claimed terrorist message decoding system. All of his granted patents were assigned to eTreppid Technologies and later purchased by BLXware which went bankrupt in 2009. In addition, Montgomery has 13 U.S. copyrights filed for source code for work he performed at Barrett Laboratories and for ComputerMate, Inc. (3Net). Montgomery's remaining unassigned intellectual property patent applications (valued by Montgomery at $10 million)<ref>Chapter 7 Trustees Motion for Order: Approving sale agreement with Michael Flynn, US Bankruptcy Court Los Angeles Division, Case No. 2:10-bk-18510-bb, December 6, 2012.</ref> were listed as assets against liabilities in his personal Chapter 7 bankruptcy in 2012. These patents and patent applications include:
*, patent granted 2006 (assigned to eTreppid)
*, patent granted 2006 (assigned to eTreppid)
*, patent granted 2006 (assigned to eTreppid)
*, patent granted 2006 (assigned to eTreppid)
*, patent granted 2005 (assigned to eTreppid)
*, patent application 2001
*, patent application 2001
*, patent application 2005
*, patent application 2001
*, patent application 2000
*, patent application 2001
*Copyrighted source code: for IBM personal computers: CORTEX software. V3536D631 2006-03-27 (Assigned to Barrett Laboratories, Inc.)
*Copyrighted source code: Computermate source code for Hewlett Packard model 87, blood gas analysis & 6 other titles. V3536D581 2006-03-27 (Assigned to ComputerMate, Inc. (3Net))
*Copyrighted source code: MIND 1.0 ANATOMIC PATHOLOGY laboratory software for personal computers with source code. TX0002095009 / 1987-06-05 (Assigned to Barrett Laboratories, Inc.)
*Copyrighted source code: MIND 4.0 clinical software for IBM personal computers with source code. TX0002000234 / 1987-01-20 (Assigned to Barrett Laboratories, Inc.)
*Copyrighted source code: Computermate source code for Hewlett Packard model 85, blood gas analysis. TXu000098727 / 1982-06-03 (Assigned to Computermate, Inc. (3Net))
*Copyrighted source code: Computermate source code for Hewlett Packard model 85, blood gas quality control. TXu000098728 / 1982-06-03 (Assigned to Computermate, Inc. (3Net))
*Copryrighted source code: Computermate source code for Hewlett Packard model 87 blood gas analysis. TXu000098018 / 1982-05-28 (Assigned to Computermate, Inc. (3Net))
*Copyrighted source code: Computermate source code for Hewlett Packard model 87, blood gas quality control TXu000098731 / 1982-05-27 (Assigned to Computermate, Inc. (3Net))
*Copyrighted source code: MIND 1.0 microbiology laboratory software for personal computers with source code. TX0002083750 / 1987-06-04 (Assigned to Barrett Laboratories, Inc.)
*Copyrighted source code: MIND 3.0 clinical laboratory manual for IBM personal computer. TX0002034758 / 1987-01-15 (assigned to Barrett Laboratories, Inc.)
*Copyrighted source code: CORTEX source code for IBM personal computers. TX0001983147 / 1987-01-16 (assigned to Barrett Laboratories, Inc.)


⚫ ==Terrorist software hoax==
===3Net Systems===
⚫ ] reported, "For several months starting in the fall of 2003, Montgomery's analysis led directly to national code orange security alerts and cancelled flights. The only problem: he was making it all up."<ref>, by Guy Raz, All Things Considered, NPR, December 19, 2009.</ref>
While a corporate officer at 3Net Solutions Dennis Montgomery was successfully sued for sexual harassment<ref>, NBC Nightly News, May 11, 2007.</ref> and for which his company was found financially responsible.<ref>, U.S. Justia, January 26, 1995.</ref> This case was cited as precedent setting in California as mentioned in the article: Key Changes in Employment Law by Margaret J. Grover.<ref>, by Margaret J. Grover, SFAA Magazine, February 2006.</ref>


⚫ Montgomery's software claims were reportedly responsible for a false terror alert which grounded international flights and caused Department of Homeland Security Secretary ] to raise the government's security level.<ref>, ''Wired'', December 28, 2009.</ref> In February 2006, the ] (FBI) and U.S. Air Force office of Special Investigations opened an economic espionage and theft of intellectual property investigation into Montgomery and Blxware.<ref>, ''Las Vegas Review Journal'', June 7, 2009</ref>
During his tenure at 3Net Systems Dennis Montgomery served as a marketing consultant and then as vice president responsible for product delivery of FAILSAFE, a software product upon which the company based a $5 million stock offering.<ref>, Form SB-2, Securities Exchange Commission, December 18, 1996.</ref> The Securities and Exchange Commission later determined the FAILSAFE related offering claims were materially false and misleading to shareholders and issued a formal cease and desist order sanctioning the company for failing to disclose materially relevant inflated revenues claims.<ref>, Release No. 7344, Securities and Exchange Commission, September 30, 1996.</ref> While at 3Net Montgomery also wrote and filed copyright protections for software source code with 3Net affiliated company ComputerMate, Inc.


In 2015, Montgomery, through his counsel ], sued ], the author of '']'', for defamation, alleging the book falsely described Montgomery as "the maestro behind what many current and former U.S. officials and others familiar with the case now believe was one of the most elaborate and dangerous hoaxes in American history."<ref>{{Cite news|title=Journalist James Risen Sued for Reporting Post-9/11 Contractor Was Con Man|url=https://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2015/02/25/journalist-james-risen-sued-for-reporting-post-9-11-contractor-was-con-man|date=February 25, 2015|first=Steven|last=Nelson|work=]}}</ref> In 2016, a federal court dismissed Montgomery's lawsuit.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.courthousenews.com/2016/07/18/risen-cleared-on-labeling-cia-contractor-a-con-artist.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160719125830/http://www.courthousenews.com/2016/07/18/risen-cleared-on-labeling-cia-contractor-a-con-artist.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 19, 2016|title=Risen Cleared on Labeling CIA Contractor a 'Con Artist'|first=Adam|last=Klasfeld|date=July 18, 2016|work=]}}</ref> In November 2017, the ] affirmed the dismissal.
⚫ ===eTreppid Technologies, LLC===
Montgomery became a partner to former ] junk bond trader Warren G. Trepp and investor Wayne Prim to develop and sell audio, video and data compression software under the banner eTreppid Technologies in 1998. As executive vice president and chief technology officer Montgomery led the company's efforts to promote software to government agencies associated with tracking terrorist activities. In 2004 eTreppid was awarded a $30 million no-bid contract with United States Special Operations Command and was ranked the 16th largest defense contractor that year, according to Aerospace Daily.<ref>, Nevada Today, February 2008.</ref> However, by 2006 the company and Montgomery faced federal investigations for fraud.<ref>, by Christopher William, The Register (UK), December 24, 2009.</ref> That same year Montgomery was found liable for sexual harassment in a suit brought by a former employee. Montgomery claims he was then "forced out" of eTreppid. He subsequently filed a civil suit<ref>, Leagle.com, April 2008.</ref> against the company asserting his ownership of the terrorist tracking software.<ref>, by Sherri Cruz, Nevada Today, March 9, 2007.</ref> The court ruled that Montgomery was required to produce his terror tracking software code via discovery to eTreppid to determine ownership.<ref>, by Gerald R. Ferrera, et al, Centage Learning, January 1, 2011.</ref> However, before turning over the code, Montgomery entered into a settlement agreement where his new employers Edra and Tim Blixseth agreed to pay eTreppid an undisclosed amount (later revealed in court documents to be $75 million) to relinquish all rights to the software to their newly formed partnership with Montgomery called BLXware.<ref>, Business Wire, September 23, 2008.</ref>


⚫ ==Nevada governor bribery scandal==
⚫ ===BLXware partnership===
⚫ During the run-up to the 2006 gubernatorial election, Dennis Montgomery accused gubernatorial candidate ] of accepting bribes while serving as a member of Congress to help Montgomery's company eTreppid Technologies secure military contracts for his terrorist software. In court papers associated with a lawsuit between Montgomery and former business partner Warren Trepp, Montgomery accused Gibbons of accepting casino chips and $100,000 in cash from Trepp during a Caribbean cruise. Montgomery provided copies of what he said were Trepp's personal e-mails that he accessed while working at eTreppid Technologies.<ref>, by Lisa Myers & Jim Popkin, NBC News, May 11, 2007.</ref> Gibbons' lawyers claimed they had evidence that Montgomery had fabricated the emails<ref>{{YouTube|Zjux5im6RRs|NBC Investigates Jim Gibbons, an exclusive interview with Dennis Montgomery}}, NBC News, May 11, 2007.</ref> and presented computer expert evidence in trial that challenged the authenticity of Montgomery's alleged evidence.<ref>, by AP, ''USA Today'', November 3, 2008.</ref> In November 2008, Gibbons' defense attorney said that an 18-month investigation by the FBI resulted in no charges and cleared Gibbons of any wrongdoing.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Apuzzo|first=Matt|last2=Press|first2=Associated|date=2008-11-02|title=Attorney: Gibbons cleared in FBI probe |newspaper=]|url=https://lasvegassun.com/news/2008/nov/02/attorney-gibbons-cleared-fbi-probe/|access-date=2020-11-24|language=en}}</ref>
⚫ After his separation from eTreppid, Montgomery joined with Edra and ] to bring his alleged terrorist tracking software to other U.S. and foreign government clients. With the Blixseths and former presidential candidate ] he helped formed OpSpring LLC later renamed BLXware. Via BLXware, Montgomery pursued selling his terror tracking software to the U.S. and Israel governments leveraging political connections of the Blixseth partnership.<ref>, by David Kihara, Las Vegas Review Journal, April 9, 2012.</ref> BLXware’s owners Edra and Tim Blixseth divorced in 2008 and BLXware became part of Edra Blixseth’s sole property. She filed for personal bankruptcy in 2009 which resulted in a Chapter 7 dissolution of all her assets including BLXware and its associated software and intellectual property.<ref>, by Jonathan Weber, New West, June 11, 2009.</ref>
⚫ ==Terrorist software hoax==
⚫ According to the New York Times, eTreppid and its associates received more than $20 million in U.S. government contracts for ETreppids software which they claimed would help stop terrorist attacks on the United States. National Public Radio reported, "For several months starting in the fall of 2003, Montgomery's analysis led directly to national code orange security alerts and cancelled flights. The only problem: he was making it all up."<ref>, by Guy Raz, All Things Considered, National Public Radio, December 19, 2009.</ref>


==Confidential informant for Sheriff Joe Arpaio==
Dennis Montgomery originally worked for Warren Trepp, a former top junk bond trader for Michael Milken, at eTreppid Technologies and later partnered with ] founders Edra and ] under the banner Blxware to solicit government contracts for his spy software. The Blixseth's were friends with former U.S. Representative and presidential candidate ] who became a minority partner in the venture with Montgomery. According to the ''New York Times'', Mr. Kemp used his friendship with Vice President Dick Cheney to set up a meeting in 2006 at which Mr. Kemp, Mr. Montgomery and Ms. Blixseth met with a top Vice President Cheney adviser, Samantha Ravich, to talk about expanding the government's use of the software.<ref>, ''Seattle Times'', February 19, 2011</ref>
In June 2014, reporter Stephen Lemons of the '']'' wrote that Montgomery had been hired by Sheriff ] of the ] (MCSO) as a confidential informant.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lemons |first=Stephen |title=Joe Arpaio's Investigating Federal Judge G. Murray Snow, DOJ, Sources say, and using a Seattle scammer to do it |work=]|date=June 4, 2014 |url=http://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/news/joe-arpaios-investigating-federal-judge-g-murray-snow-doj-sources-say-and-using-a-seattle-scammer-to-do-it-6630628 |access-date=May 21, 2015}}</ref> Lemons, citing an anonymous source in the MCSO, said that Montgomery had claimed that, using data he had obtained while working for the ] (CIA), ] between the U.S. Department of Justice and ], the federal judge presiding over ]. In April 2015, Arpaio confirmed the confidential informant relationship in testimony before Judge Snow.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Joffe-Block |first=Jude |title=Man Sheriff Joe Arpaio Hired to Investigate Federal Agencies Tries to Intervene in Contempt Case |publisher=]|date=May 8, 2015 |url=http://kjzz.org/content/136962/man-sheriff-joe-arpaio-hired-investigate-federal-agencies-tries-intervene-contempt |access-date=May 21, 2015 |archivedate=May 18, 2015 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150518083043/http://kjzz.org/content/136962/man-sheriff-joe-arpaio-hired-investigate-federal-agencies-tries-intervene-contempt}}</ref> At Arpaio's request, two ] computer specialists examined Montgomery's material and concluded, contrary to Montgomery's representations, that it did not contain data from the CIA.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://kjzz.org/content/308856/10-key-findings-civil-contempt-ruling-against-sheriff-joe-arpaio#five|title=10 Key Findings From The Civil Contempt Ruling Against Sheriff Joe Arpaio|first=Jude|last=Joffe-Block|date=May 20, 2016|publisher=]}}</ref> Arpaio later characterized the result of Montgomery's investigation as "junk".<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/16/us/twists-outnumber-judges-so-far-in-case-against-arizona-sheriff-joe-arpaio.html|title=Twists Outnumber Judges (So Far) in Case Against Arizona Sheriff|first=Fernanda|last=Santos|date=June 15, 2015|work=]}}</ref>


In May 2015, Montgomery attempted to intervene in the contempt proceedings against ] that had stemmed from the racial-profiling lawsuit.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://kjzz.org/content/136962/man-sheriff-joe-arpaio-hired-investigate-federal-agencies-tries-intervene-contempt|title=Man Sheriff Joe Arpaio Hired To Investigate Federal Agencies Tries To Intervene In Contempt Case|first=Jude|last=Joffe-Block|date=May 8, 2015|publisher=]}}</ref> Montgomery, through his counsel ], asked Judge Snow to recuse himself; Montgomery also asked the ] to replace the judge, but the court declined to do so.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://kjzz.org/content/139326/judge-expected-address-informants-motion-intervene-sheriff-arpaios-contempt-case|title=Judge Expected To Address Informant's Motion To Intervene In Sheriff Arpaio's Contempt Case|first=Jude|last=Joffe-Block|date=May 14, 2015|publisher=]}}</ref>
⚫ Montgomery's software claims were reportedly responsible for a false terror alert which grounded international flights and caused Department of Homeland Security Secretary ] to raise the government's security level.<ref>, ''Wired Magazine'', December 28, 2009.</ref> In February 2006, the FBI and U.S. Air Force office of Special Investigations opened an economic espionage and theft of intellectual property investigation into Montgomery and Blxware.<ref>, ''Las Vegas Review Journal'', June 7, 2009</ref>


Reuters reported, "In 2019, Montgomery sued Arpaio, Zullo and Mackiewicz alleging libel. The computer programmer claimed the sheriff’s office had hired him to “hack into databases and websites to help them prove their beliefs about President Obama’s ancestry and birth information.” The suit was dismissed in 2022."<ref>, by Aram Roston and Peter Eisler, Reuters, Dec. 20, 2022</ref>
⚫ ==Nevada governor bribery scandal==
⚫ During the run-up to the 2006 gubernatorial election, Dennis Montgomery accused gubernatorial candidate ] of accepting bribes while serving as a Member of Congress to help Montgomery's company eTreppid Technologies secure military contracts for his terrorist software. In court papers associated with a lawsuit between Montgomery and former business partner Warren Trepp, Montgomery accused Gibbons of accepting casino chips and $100,000 in cash from Trepp during a Caribbean cruise. Montgomery based his claims on Trepps' personal e-mails he says he accessed while working at eTreppid Technologies.<ref>, by Lisa Myers & Jim Popkin, NBC News, May 11, 2007.</ref> Gibbons lawyers claimed they had evidence Montgomery fabricated the emails <ref>{{YouTube|Zjux5im6RRs|NBC Investigates Jim Gibbons, an exclusive interview with Dennis Montgomery}}, NBC News, May 11, 2007.</ref> and presented computer expert evidence in trial that challenged the authenticity of Montgomery's alleged evidence.<ref>, by AP, USA Today, November 3, 2008.</ref> An 18 month FBI investigation resulted in no charges and Gibbons being "cleared" of all charges by the Department of Justice. Similar reviews by the Nevada State Ethics Commission and U.S. House Ethics Committee also cleared Gibbons. The New York Times reported that Montgomery's employers at Blxware paid a $20 million settlement<ref>Case 3:09-mc-00019 Document 1, Filed 01/09/09, United States District Court of Nevada.</ref> to Warren Trepp as "compensation for certain allegations" made by Montgomery in the news media linked to the Gibbons bribery claims.<ref>, by Randal Archibold, New York Times, November 2, 2008.</ref>


==Wiretapping allegations==
==Personal life==
In the wake of the ], Klayman on Montgomery's behalf claimed that Montgomery had evidence that security agencies have been involved in "systematic illegal surveillance on prominent Americans", including ] and ]. Mike Zullo, a former member of the MSCO's cold-case posse, similarly echoed the claims about Montgomery's data; Zullo, however, had previously doubted the authenticity of the data.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.azcentral.com/story/news/politics/arizona/2017/04/05/conspiracy-theory-joe-arpaio-barack-obama-birth-certificate-donald-trump-wiretap-claims/99761074/|title=Conspiracy theory tries to connect Joe Arpaio, the Obama birth certificate and Trump's wiretap claims|first=Richard|last=Ruelas|date=April 4, 2017|work=]}}</ref>
A 2003 U.S. Air Force investigation report revealed Montgomery suffered from gambling problems for which he borrowed $1.3 million from his then company eTreppid Technologies to pay back casino debts. In 2009 Montgomery was arrested on criminal charges in Nevada for passing $1 million in bad checks to Las Vegas casinos.<ref>, by David Kihara, Las Vegas Review-Journal, July 22, 2009.</ref>
Montgomery was represented in various lawsuits by attorney Michael Flynn until Flynn claimed he learned Montgomery's software was a "sham"<ref>, By Anthony Effinger, Bloomberg, August 29, 2008.</ref> and who later sued and won a $628,000 judgment against Montgomery for failing to pay his legal fees.<ref>, Laura K. Donahue, University of Pennsylvania Law Review, Vol. 159:77, 2010.</ref><ref>, U.S. District Court Nevada, Filed 04/12/2012.</ref> Montgomery subsequently filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in California in 2009 listing his debts to Flynn, Harrah's Casino ($540,000), Caesars Casinos ($990,000) and other creditors totaling debts of more than $12,000,000.<ref>, Filed 07/13/09, United States Bankruptcy Court, Central District of California.</ref><ref>, By Eric Lichtblau, The Boston Globe, February 20, 2011.</ref> In 2013 his former attorney Michael Flynn purchased all of Montgomery's bankruptcy-related debts, encumbrances, real estate and other assets. Montgomery is now a witness on behalf of Flynn representing Tim Blixseth against Credit Suisse and others in Blixseth's bankruptcy.<ref>, Associated Press, December 18, 2012.</ref>


In June 2017, Montgomery and Klayman jointly sued ] and other federal government officials, alleging a coverup of evidence that, according to Montgomery, shows the existence of widespread illegal surveillance by the federal government.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://circa.com/politics/accountability/james-comey-sued-by-intelligence-contractor-dennis-montgomery-over-spying-on-americans|title=Did the FBI have evidence of a breach larger than Snowden? A lawsuit says yes.|first1=John|last1=Solomon|first2=Sara|last2=Carter|date=June 7, 2017|work=]}}</ref> In March 2018, the federal district court dismissed their lawsuit.
Prior to his bankruptcy filing Montgomery maintained multi-million dollar residences with his wife in ], California, ] and ]. In addition to the Nevada criminal complaint for passing bad checks, Montgomery had a federal criminal investigation into his software dealings delayed following an alleged unconstitutional search of his home by the FBI which Montgomery's attorney Michael Flynn claimed resulted in the firing of the head of the FBI Reno Office and an assistant U.S. Attorney in charge of the case. Federal officials denied the allegations and the case remains open pending resolution of related civil suits between Montgomery and his former employer eTreppid.<ref>, by Martha Bellisle, Reno Gazette Journal, March 20, 2007.</ref>

According to Klayman, Montgomery also claimed these security agencies had manipulated voting in Florida during the ].<ref>{{Cite news|title=Rick Wiles: Obama Is 'Hiding From Arrest' In French Polynesia For Stealing Elections And Surveilling Trump|url=http://www.rightwingwatch.org/post/rick-wiles-obama-is-hiding-from-arrest-in-french-polynesia-for-stealing-elections-and-surveilling-trump/|first=Brian|last=Tashman|date=March 27, 2017|work=]}}</ref>

==2020 United States presidential election==
As part of the ], ''The American Report'' published stories in which Montgomery claimed a supercomputer called the Hammer, running software called Scorecard, was used to steal votes from Trump.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Rutenberg |first1=Jim |last2=Becker |first2=Jo |last3=Lipton |first3=Eric |last4=Haberman |first4=Maggie |last5=Martin |first5=Jonathan |last6=Rosenberg |first6=Matthew |last7=Schmidt |first7=Michael S. |date=January 31, 2021 |title=77 Days: Trump's Campaign to Subvert the Election |newspaper=] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/31/us/trump-election-lie.html |url-access=subscription }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last1=Roston |first1=Aram |last2=Eisler |first2=Peter |date=December 20, 2022 |title=The man behind Trump World's myth of rigged voting machines |agency=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/usa-election-montgomery/ }}</ref> Montgomery's claims were repeated by ]<ref>{{cite news|url=https://tucson.com/news/local/political-notebook-tucson-area-candidate-waiting-for-gop-recount-as-party-loses-members/article_48738b56-52f1-5f2c-a14a-a14d71ff16e0.html|title=Political Notebook: Tucson-area candidate waiting for GOP recount as party loses members|last=Steller|first=Tim|date=February 12, 2021|newspaper=]}}</ref> and ].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.mediaite.com/tv/fox-friends-promotes-hammer-scorecard-conspiracy-theory-from-alleged-con-man-fraudster/|title=Fox & Friends Promotes ‘Hammer & Scorecard’ Conspiracy Theory From Alleged ‘Con Man’ & ‘Fraudster’|first=Charlie|last=Nash|date=November 9, 2020|work=]}}</ref> ], then the director of the ], characterized the claims as "nonsense" and a "hoax".<ref>{{Cite news|last=Bump|first=Philip|date=November 12, 2020|title=Trump grasps at a new set of straws: Computers rigged his election loss|language=en-US|work=]|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2020/11/12/trump-grasps-new-set-straws-computers-rigged-his-election-loss/}}</ref>

At Lindell's August 2021 cyber symposium about the 2020 election, his staff confirmed Montgomery was Lindell's source for data about the election.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/mike-lindell-s-unfortunate-week-gets-quite-bit-worse-n1276743|title=Mike Lindell's unfortunate week gets quite a bit worse|first=Steve|last=Benen |author-link=Steve Benen|date=August 13, 2021|work=]}}</ref>


==References== ==References==
{{Reflist|colwidth=30em}} {{Reflist}}


==External links== ==External links==
* *
* *
* *


⚫ {{DEFAULTSORT:Montgomery, Dennis L.}}
{{Persondata
|name=Dennis Montgomery
|ALTERNATIVE NAMES=Montgomery, Dennis
⚫ |SHORT DESCRIPTION=Computer software designer
|DATE OF BIRTH=1950
|PLACE OF BIRTH= Mena, Arkansas, U.S.
|DATE OF DEATH=
|PLACE OF DEATH=
⚫ }}
⚫ {{DEFAULTSORT:Montgomery, Dennis}}
] ]
] ]
] ]
] ]
]
] ]

Latest revision as of 18:17, 6 January 2025

Computer software designer (born 1953)

Dennis L. Montgomery
Born (1953-07-09) July 9, 1953 (age 71)
Mena, Arkansas
NationalityAmerican
OccupationSoftware designer

Dennis Lee Montgomery (born July 9, 1953) is an American software designer and former medical technician who sold computer programs to federal officials that he claimed would decode secret Al-Qaeda messages hidden in Al Jazeera broadcasts and identify terrorists based on Predator drone videos. A 2010 Playboy investigation called Montgomery "The man who conned the Pentagon", saying he won millions in federal contracts for his supposed terrorist-exposing intelligence software. The software was later reported to have been an elaborate hoax and Montgomery's former lawyer called him a "con artist" and "habitual liar engaged in fraud".

Career

eTreppid Technologies, LLC

Montgomery became a partner in 1998 to Warren G. Trepp, the former chief junk bond trader for Michael Milken at Drexel Burnham Lambert, and another investor, Wayne Prim, to develop and sell audio, video, and data compression software under the banner eTreppid Technologies. As Executive Vice President and Chief technology officer of eTreppid, Montgomery led the company's efforts to develop the company's software and promote it to government agencies associated with tracking terrorist activities. In 2004, eTreppid was awarded a $30 million no-bid contract with United States Special Operations Command and was ranked the 16th-largest defense contractor that year, according to Aerospace Daily.

Blxware partnership

After his separation from eTreppid, Montgomery joined with Edra and Tim Blixseth to bring his alleged terrorist tracking software to other U.S. and foreign government clients. With the Blixseths and former presidential candidate Jack Kemp, he helped form OpSpring LLC, later renamed Blxware. Via Blxware, Montgomery, acting Chief Scientist, pursued selling his terror tracking software to the U.S. and Israel governments, leveraging political connections of the Blixseth partnership. Blxware's owners Edra and Tim Blixseth divorced in 2008 and Blxware became part of Edra Blixseth's sole property. She filed for personal bankruptcy in 2009, which resulted in a Chapter 7 liquidation of her assets, including Blxware and its associated software and intellectual property.

Terrorist software hoax

National Public Radio reported, "For several months starting in the fall of 2003, Montgomery's analysis led directly to national code orange security alerts and cancelled flights. The only problem: he was making it all up."

Montgomery's software claims were reportedly responsible for a false terror alert which grounded international flights and caused Department of Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge to raise the government's security level. In February 2006, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and U.S. Air Force office of Special Investigations opened an economic espionage and theft of intellectual property investigation into Montgomery and Blxware.

In 2015, Montgomery, through his counsel Larry Klayman, sued James Risen, the author of Pay Any Price: Greed, Power, and Endless War, for defamation, alleging the book falsely described Montgomery as "the maestro behind what many current and former U.S. officials and others familiar with the case now believe was one of the most elaborate and dangerous hoaxes in American history." In 2016, a federal court dismissed Montgomery's lawsuit. In November 2017, the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit affirmed the dismissal.

Nevada governor bribery scandal

During the run-up to the 2006 gubernatorial election, Dennis Montgomery accused gubernatorial candidate Jim Gibbons of accepting bribes while serving as a member of Congress to help Montgomery's company eTreppid Technologies secure military contracts for his terrorist software. In court papers associated with a lawsuit between Montgomery and former business partner Warren Trepp, Montgomery accused Gibbons of accepting casino chips and $100,000 in cash from Trepp during a Caribbean cruise. Montgomery provided copies of what he said were Trepp's personal e-mails that he accessed while working at eTreppid Technologies. Gibbons' lawyers claimed they had evidence that Montgomery had fabricated the emails and presented computer expert evidence in trial that challenged the authenticity of Montgomery's alleged evidence. In November 2008, Gibbons' defense attorney said that an 18-month investigation by the FBI resulted in no charges and cleared Gibbons of any wrongdoing.

Confidential informant for Sheriff Joe Arpaio

In June 2014, reporter Stephen Lemons of the Phoenix New Times wrote that Montgomery had been hired by Sheriff Joe Arpaio of the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office (MCSO) as a confidential informant. Lemons, citing an anonymous source in the MCSO, said that Montgomery had claimed that, using data he had obtained while working for the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), he could prove there was a conspiracy against Arpaio between the U.S. Department of Justice and G. Murray Snow, the federal judge presiding over a racial-profiling lawsuit filed against Maricopa County. In April 2015, Arpaio confirmed the confidential informant relationship in testimony before Judge Snow. At Arpaio's request, two National Security Agency computer specialists examined Montgomery's material and concluded, contrary to Montgomery's representations, that it did not contain data from the CIA. Arpaio later characterized the result of Montgomery's investigation as "junk".

In May 2015, Montgomery attempted to intervene in the contempt proceedings against Joe Arpaio that had stemmed from the racial-profiling lawsuit. Montgomery, through his counsel Larry Klayman, asked Judge Snow to recuse himself; Montgomery also asked the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit to replace the judge, but the court declined to do so.

Reuters reported, "In 2019, Montgomery sued Arpaio, Zullo and Mackiewicz alleging libel. The computer programmer claimed the sheriff’s office had hired him to “hack into databases and websites to help them prove their beliefs about President Obama’s ancestry and birth information.” The suit was dismissed in 2022."

Wiretapping allegations

In the wake of the Trump Tower wiretapping allegations, Klayman on Montgomery's behalf claimed that Montgomery had evidence that security agencies have been involved in "systematic illegal surveillance on prominent Americans", including Donald Trump and Jerome Corsi. Mike Zullo, a former member of the MSCO's cold-case posse, similarly echoed the claims about Montgomery's data; Zullo, however, had previously doubted the authenticity of the data.

In June 2017, Montgomery and Klayman jointly sued James Comey and other federal government officials, alleging a coverup of evidence that, according to Montgomery, shows the existence of widespread illegal surveillance by the federal government. In March 2018, the federal district court dismissed their lawsuit.

According to Klayman, Montgomery also claimed these security agencies had manipulated voting in Florida during the 2008 United States presidential election.

2020 United States presidential election

As part of the attempt to overturn the 2020 United States presidential election, The American Report published stories in which Montgomery claimed a supercomputer called the Hammer, running software called Scorecard, was used to steal votes from Trump. Montgomery's claims were repeated by Mike Lindell and Sidney Powell. Chris Krebs, then the director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, characterized the claims as "nonsense" and a "hoax".

At Lindell's August 2021 cyber symposium about the 2020 election, his staff confirmed Montgomery was Lindell's source for data about the election.

References

  1. Lichtblau, Eric; Risen, James (February 19, 2012). "Hiding Details of Dubious Deal, U.S. Invokes National Security". The New York Times.
  2. The Man Who Conned the Pentagon, (alternative link) by Aram Roston, Playboy, January 2010. (subscription required)
  3. Williams, Christopher (December 24, 2009). "Software fraudster fooled CIA into terror alert". The Register (UK). Retrieved 21 February 2017.
  4. ^ Kihara, David (June 7, 2009). "True Believers: Nevada company's troubles entangle Gibbons, federal government". Las Vegas Review-Journal.
  5. Who is Warren Trepp, Nevada Today, February 2008.
  6. Yellowstone Club Chronicles: The Edra Blixeth Bankruptcy, by Jonathan Weber, New West, June 11, 2009.
  7. The man who conned the Pentagon, by Guy Raz, All Things Considered, NPR, December 19, 2009.
  8. Programmer conned CIA, Pentagon into buying bogus anti-terror code, Wired, December 28, 2009.
  9. Nevada company's troubles, Las Vegas Review Journal, June 7, 2009
  10. Nelson, Steven (February 25, 2015). "Journalist James Risen Sued for Reporting Post-9/11 Contractor Was Con Man". U.S. News & World Report.
  11. Klasfeld, Adam (July 18, 2016). "Risen Cleared on Labeling CIA Contractor a 'Con Artist'". Courthouse News Service. Archived from the original on July 19, 2016.
  12. FBI probes Nevada governor for corruption, by Lisa Myers & Jim Popkin, NBC News, May 11, 2007.
  13. NBC Investigates Jim Gibbons, an exclusive interview with Dennis Montgomery on YouTube, NBC News, May 11, 2007.
  14. Nevada governor cleared in corruption probe, may sue, by AP, USA Today, November 3, 2008.
  15. Apuzzo, Matt; Press, Associated (2008-11-02). "Attorney: Gibbons cleared in FBI probe". Las Vegas Sun. Retrieved 2020-11-24.
  16. Lemons, Stephen (June 4, 2014). "Joe Arpaio's Investigating Federal Judge G. Murray Snow, DOJ, Sources say, and using a Seattle scammer to do it". Phoenix New Times. Retrieved May 21, 2015.
  17. Joffe-Block, Jude (May 8, 2015). "Man Sheriff Joe Arpaio Hired to Investigate Federal Agencies Tries to Intervene in Contempt Case". KJZZ. Archived from the original on May 18, 2015. Retrieved May 21, 2015.
  18. Joffe-Block, Jude (May 20, 2016). "10 Key Findings From The Civil Contempt Ruling Against Sheriff Joe Arpaio". KJZZ.
  19. Santos, Fernanda (June 15, 2015). "Twists Outnumber Judges (So Far) in Case Against Arizona Sheriff". The New York Times.
  20. Joffe-Block, Jude (May 8, 2015). "Man Sheriff Joe Arpaio Hired To Investigate Federal Agencies Tries To Intervene In Contempt Case". KJZZ.
  21. Joffe-Block, Jude (May 14, 2015). "Judge Expected To Address Informant's Motion To Intervene In Sheriff Arpaio's Contempt Case". KJZZ.
  22. The Man Behind Trump World’s myth of rigged voting machines, by Aram Roston and Peter Eisler, Reuters, Dec. 20, 2022
  23. Ruelas, Richard (April 4, 2017). "Conspiracy theory tries to connect Joe Arpaio, the Obama birth certificate and Trump's wiretap claims". The Arizona Republic.
  24. Solomon, John; Carter, Sara (June 7, 2017). "Did the FBI have evidence of a breach larger than Snowden? A lawsuit says yes". Circa News.
  25. Tashman, Brian (March 27, 2017). "Rick Wiles: Obama Is 'Hiding From Arrest' In French Polynesia For Stealing Elections And Surveilling Trump". Right Wing Watch.
  26. Rutenberg, Jim; Becker, Jo; Lipton, Eric; Haberman, Maggie; Martin, Jonathan; Rosenberg, Matthew; Schmidt, Michael S. (January 31, 2021). "77 Days: Trump's Campaign to Subvert the Election". New York Times.
  27. Roston, Aram; Eisler, Peter (December 20, 2022). "The man behind Trump World's myth of rigged voting machines". Reuters.
  28. Steller, Tim (February 12, 2021). "Political Notebook: Tucson-area candidate waiting for GOP recount as party loses members". Arizona Daily Star.
  29. Nash, Charlie (November 9, 2020). "Fox & Friends Promotes 'Hammer & Scorecard' Conspiracy Theory From Alleged 'Con Man' & 'Fraudster'". Mediaite.
  30. Bump, Philip (November 12, 2020). "Trump grasps at a new set of straws: Computers rigged his election loss". The Washington Post.
  31. Benen, Steve (August 13, 2021). "Mike Lindell's unfortunate week gets quite a bit worse". MSNBC.

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