THE THOMSON MASONIC FRAUD

Matthew McBain Thomson was born Scotland. In 1881 he settled in Montpelier, Idaho.

He returned to Scotland but in 1898 returned to Montpelier with a patent from the "Scottish Grand College of Rites".

He used this document to create his "American Masonic Federation", later changed to "International Masonic Federation".

He promoted the sale of all sorts of "Masonic" degrees by mail and worked through paid solicitors.

Reduced rates were given when groups were large and many joined at the same time. He and two other were eventually prosecuted for using the mails to defraud and in 1922 they were sent to jail.