BEVERLY HILLS—On March 26, the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced the sentencing of 70-year-old, Mark Roy Anderson, from Beverly Hills. He is a disbarred attorney who has been sentenced to 300 months in federal prison for conning people into investing in his CBD/Hemp industry while serving time for previous charges in similar cannabis industries.
In his latest scheme, Anderson was able to collect $18 million from his investors while he was serving time on home confinement and then while on supervised release. In April of 2024, Anderson pleaded guilty to two counts of wire fraud. He has been in federal prison since May of 2023.
According to the DOJ press release, Anderson was sentenced by U.S. District Judge, Fernando L. Aenlle-Rocha.
“The magnitude of the fraud is breathtaking…the [victim’s statements reflect] the depth of the harm. Many have lost their life savings reflecting decades of hard work.
Describing Anderson as “An accomplished incorrigible con man. The public must be protected from him for as long as possible,” Judge Aenlle-Rocha stated.
Acting U.S. Attorney, Joseph McNally made the following statement:
“The defendant stole more than $18 million from dozens of investors by promising quick returns on their investments into hemp farms and other exotic investments. Today’s 25-year sentence takes him off the streets so that he cannot harm other victims.”
A restitution hearing is scheduled for June 4.
The other scam Anderson was involved in was Bio Pharma and Verta Bottling. The following came directly from the DOJ. The full text may be found on their website.
“Specifically, Anderson falsely told investors Bio Pharma purportedly manufactured and sold products infused with CBD, including products such as CBD-infused avocado oil, olive oil, pain cream, gummies, tequila, and chili oil. Anderson also claimed that Verta Bottling manufactured and sold beverages and a variety of food products.
Anderson falsely stated that his bottling companies owned and possessed millions of dollars’ worth of assets, including – in Bio Pharma’s case – hemp biomass, CBD isolate, CBD oil, and – in Verta Bottling’s case – manufacturing equipment and an assignable lease for a warehouse to manufacture and sell its products.
Instead of investing victim funds as he promised, Anderson instead used their money on personal expenses. He has agreed to forfeit his ill-gotten gains from these schemes, including 15 cars – one of them a Ferrari – and real estate in Ojai.
In total, Anderson solicited more than $18.8 million from 45 victims for both schemes, causing victims to lose approximately $17,745,150.”
By Sharon