FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 8, 2019
Contact: Matt Baca (505) 270-7148
Albuquerque, NM–Attorney General Hector Balderas and District Attorney Andrea Reeb today
announced that a Roosevelt County Grand Jury indicted former Miss New Mexico Executive
Director Greg Smith on charges that he stole money from the organization, funds which were
designated for participant scholarships. The Grand Jury indicted Smith on 18 felony charges of
embezzlement, fraud, racketeering, tax evasion, and issuing worthless checks.
“New Mexican women who seek leadership opportunities should not see those opportunities taken
by corporate corruption,” said Attorney General Balderas. “My office is dedicated to ensuring that
vulnerable New Mexicans are protected from those who prey upon them, and we look forward to
presenting this case to a jury.”
Greg Smith operated the Miss New Mexico Scholarship Organization from 2015 to 2018. When
he took over the organization he was provided approximately $21,000 from the
National Organization for the express purpose of paying out scholarships to the remaining contest
winners from 2014 and previous years. He was provided the amount owed and the information for
the contestants, but failed to distribute the scholarships owed. Smith was indicted for multiple
felony offenses surrounding the withholding scholarship money owed to several contest winners
and using the Organization’s accounts to conduct personal transactions during his time as Director.
Arraignment will be scheduled at a future date where conditions of release will be set by a District
Court Judge.
