By Mike Harris Thursday, October 2nd, 2025

A Camarillo man has been convicted of stealing more than $527,000 over six years from Channel Islands Aviation, where he worked as a bookkeeper.

James Matthew Godsey, 46, was found guilty by a Ventura County Superior Court jury of six felony counts of grand theft, the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office announced Sept. 29. 

The jury also found true special allegations, including that Godsey took advantage of a position of trust or confidence to commit the crimes.

“Employee embezzlement cases like this one are a reminder that trust without oversight creates opportunity for theft,” Senior Deputy District Attorney Marc Leventhal, who prosecuted the case, said in a press release.

Leventhal said that from 2015 to 2023, Godsey worked as a bookkeeper for Channel Islands Aviation, a flight school in Camarillo, where he was responsible for processing payroll and handling accounts payable.

Between 2017 and 2023, evidence showed that he repeatedly inflated his own pay by adding unauthorized bonuses and extra wages, Leventhal said.

He also issued himself phony reimbursements for company expenses, according to the prosecutor.

Over six years, Godsey stole more than $527,000 from the flight school, Leventhal said.

The theft remained hidden for years because company leadership trusted Godsey to perform his duties honestly and did not scrutinize his payroll records, according to the prosecutor.

The scheme finally came to light after the company was sold and a new manager conducted an audit, uncovering the embezzlement, Leventhal said.

“Employers should protect themselves by conducting regular internal audits and maintaining effective supervision over those who handle payroll and company funds,” Leventhal, a member of the district attorney’s Special Prosecutions Fraud and Technology Crimes Unit, said.

Godsey remains free on $10,000 bond pending sentencing Oct. 21.