The state of Colorado is sitting on $260 million which belongs to more than 1.5 million people. 7NEWS used our investigative resources to create a connection between the cash and its rightful owner.

One of those people is Thomas Hinton. The state of Colorado believed Hinton lived in Golden but our producers found him living less than a mile away on a street in Arvada.

7NEWS also found Earl Dorito at his home in Westminster. He said he's lived in that home for half a century. According to state records, the state of Colorado has $23,708.57 for Dorito.

"That's got to be a mistake," Dorito said when 7NEWS told him.

But it's not a mistake.

The state is also holding $12,468.63 of Hinton's money. In Hinton's case, the unexpected cash came from a long forgotten life insurance policy.

"I probably would have never discovered it on my own," said Hinton.

In Dorito's case, the money was a savings account that was closed by his bank because of inactivity.

"It was an account that we didn't need, so we thought we'd just put it away and leave it there in case something came up and we forgot about it," Dorito said.

Combined, the two men are cashing checks from the State of Colorado for more than $36,000.

"I've got grand kids that have to go to college so I might just put it in the bank in their name," said Hinton.

"I'm going to go change and go shopping right now," Dorito said.

Using databases and public records 7NEWS located both men in a matter of a couple hours but why did the state not find the two men? The state said it mails out notices of the unclaimed cash but if people have moved or choose not to respond, the cash remains unclaimed.

If you want to check to see if you are owed some cash, check the Great Colorado Payback.