DENVER  —  Turns out he was nice — and naughty.

A Colorado man who boasted to reporters around the world that his Web site allowed strangers to turn his outdoor Christmas lights off and on now says it was just an elaborate hoax.

Computer specialist Alek Komarnitsky says he just wanted to spread holiday cheer.

The Web site was featured in numerous holiday stories, including one by The Associated Press. Komarnitsky said he decided to announce his scam to The Wall Street Journal because it had gotten "a little out of hand."

Komarnitsky made money from advertisements posted on the site but says it only amounted to "pennies" for each hit on the ads.

A spokesman for Google says its looking into the matter further.