Beverly Hills Man Sentenced to 25 Years for $18M Cannabis Investment Scam

26 March 2025

A Beverly Hills man has been sentenced to 25 years in federal prison for orchestrating two cannabis-related investment scams that defrauded 45 victims of nearly $18.4 million. Mark Roy Anderson, 70, operated the schemes between 2020 and 2023 while still under federal supervision for a prior fraud conviction. Prosecutors say Anderson promoted fictitious ventures in the marijuana business, including a fake hemp farm under the name Harvest Farm Group, and later, two sham CBD product companies, Bio Pharma and Verta Bottling. He used fake contracts, forged legal documents, and counterfeit product samples to convince investors they were funding legitimate operations in the expanding cannabis market. Instead, the funds were diverted for personal use, including luxury vehicles and real estate. A restitution hearing is scheduled for June 4.