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Massachusetts Sheriff Arrested, Charged with Extortion for Pressuring Cannabis Company 

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Massachusetts Sheriff Arrested, Charged with Extortion for Pressuring Cannabis Company 

A Suffolk district, the Massachusetts Sheriff, was charged last week of supposedly pressure for a Boston Cannabis company to sell it to the company. Sheriff Sven Tompkins, 67, faces two allegations of extorting of non -name company pressure after reviewing a public initial offer in 2020.

By courtIn 2019, the Cannabis company tried to open a cannabis retailer in Boston and applied to the Massachusetts Control Commission (CCC) for a distribution license. To meet the CCC’s positive impact plan (PIP), the cannabis company entered into a partnership with the Suffolk District Sheriff Department, which would assist in the screen and referral of its re-entry program graduates to apply for the retail store of Cannabis. The partnership between the company and the Department was commemorated in a letter of September 2019 signed by Tompkins and presented to CCC at the March 2020 distributed license request.

About a year later, the CCC approved a license for the company to operate a cannabis distributor in Boston. CCC later approved applications for renewing the License for the firm in 2021, 2022 and 2023. In each of the renovation applications, the company included its continuous partnership with the Sheriff’s department as part of its fulfillment of PIP, according to the indictment.

In November 2020, Thompkins allegedly defeated $ 50,000 from his pension account to a firm -controlled account for the purchase of shares. After IPO, the value of the shares increased significantly, but decreased a year later, and Tompkins allegedly asked for his money again, and the company eventually gave him a full refund.

According to court documents, the company feared that Tombpkins could undermine its partnership with a Sheriff’s department program that referred to prisoners issued to work in the company, and that Tompkins could endanger the company’s functioning license, as well as the time of IPO.

In a statement, US lawyer Leah B. Foley called Thompkins’ alleged actions “an attack on voters and taxpayers who chose him in his position, and many dedicated and honest public servants in the Suffolk County Sheriff’s department”.

“Mr Tombkins is a sedentary sheriff, responsible for over 1,000 employees who were chosen by the good people of the Suffolk District. Today, he is alleged to have extorted an executive by a cannabis company, using his official position as a sheriff to benefit himself. – Foley in a announcement

According to the indictment, Tompkins paid a prize of approximately $ 1.73 for approximately $ 1.73 for the company’s stock, and after a sharing of reverse shares, Tompkins held approximately $ 14,417 with a price of approximately $ 3.46 per share. According to court documents, in or around the middle of 2021, when the company launched its IPO, the shares were worth about $ 9.60 per share, so the purchase of $ $ 50,000 of $ 14,417 that the shares had estimated for an approximate value of $ 138,403.

Tompkins was taken in detention in Florida and will appear in a federal court in Boston on a later date. Deaths of extortion under the color of official law each provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years supervised and a fine of $ 250,000.

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Cannabis Industry News

Michigan Cannabis Brand Forced to Close After Investigation Finds Inventory Discrepancies, Out-of-State Transport   

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Michigan Cannabis Brand Forced to Close After Investigation Finds Inventory Discrepancies, Out-of-State Transport   

A Michigan cannabis company has been ordered to shut down permanently after an investigation by regulators found that the company shipped its products to Massachusetts, discrepancies in their inventory, unlabeled products at their facility and other violations.

Ground Control Michigan, LLC, which operates as GCM Waypoint, must surrender its license by next week as part of a consent order with the state Cannabis Regulatory Agency (CRA), to which the company waived its right to a hearing and did not contest the claims.

In the complaint, the CRA found that a GCM employee personally transported 249 cannabis products from Michigan to Massachusetts for a cannabis conference, in violation of state law. In a statement, CRA executive director Brian Hanna said the agency was assisted by Michigan State Police and Massachusetts Cannabis Control.

“The conduct uncovered through this investigation was egregious and cannot be tolerated in Michigan’s regulated cannabis market. Those who engage in conduct of this nature should expect the CRA to respond decisively and pursue the strongest actions available under the law.” – Hanna in one press release

During an investigation at the GCM facility, investigators found several inventory discrepancies, including 32,250 heat cartridges that had previously been seized by state police but labeled as received in the business’s inventory; 360 boxes of vape cartridges that were found to be empty boxes; and two unlabeled 1-liter distillate bottles, according to complaint. Investigators also noted “hours and even days” of lack of surveillance at the facility.

The GCM investigation began in March.

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California

San Francisco Board of Supervisors Approves Cannabis Café Ordinance   

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San Francisco Board of Supervisors Approves Cannabis Café Ordinance   

The San Francisco, California Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved a DIRECTION to allow cannabis cafes, CBS San Francisco reports. The ordinance will allow establishments to also serve food and drink and provide live entertainment.

In a statement after the decision, Board President Rafael Mandelman, the author of the ordinance, called the approval “a real tool” to help the city’s cannabis businesses “compete and grow.”

“Cannabis cafes are part of this city’s recovery, along with our entertainment precincts, neighborhood activation and free concerts, and today’s vote ensures our legal vendors are not left behind.” – Mandelman, in a statement, via CBS San Francisco

San Francisco is the first Bay Area city to give final approval to cannabis cafes after a bill passed by state lawmakers in 2024 that allows localities to allow businesses.

Under the ordinance, cannabis retailers will be allowed to prepare and serve food and non-alcoholic beverages for consumption on their premises. The ordinance also creates a cannabis cafe permit, allowing spaces where cannabis consumption can be offered alongside food, drink and entertainment. Cafes will only be allowed to sell cannabis for on-premise consumption and will have to follow the same health codes and California Retail Food Code standards as other food establishments.

According to the ordinance, smoking will not be allowed and businesses will have to follow certain ventilation and signage rules. There are also ID requirements at the door for patrons.

The measure still requires final approval from Mayor Daniel Lurie.

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California

San Francisco Considers Letting Cannabis Consumption Lounges Host Music, Serve Food

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San Francisco Considers Letting Cannabis Consumption Lounges Host Music, Serve Food

San Francisco supervisors have advanced a proposal that would allow existing cannabis lounges to serve food and soft drinks and host live entertainment. NBC Bay Area reports.

The Board of Supervisors approved the ordinance 7-4 on its first reading Tuesday, with a final vote expected next week, according to the report. If passed, the measure would allow the city’s cannabis dispensaries to expand their offerings under a state law authored by Assemblyman Matt Haney (D).

Supervisor Rafael Mandelman, who introduced the ordinance in the spring, said the policy could help the city’s licensed cannabis operators develop more sustainable business models while also attracting tourism.

“Amsterdam does a lot of tourist business and has a lot of benefits from cannabis cafes,” Mandelman said, according to the report.

“San Francisco is not Amsterdam; there may be elements of that that we will see here, and again, that may be part of our recovery.”

William Dolan, CEO of Hyrba dispensary in the Sunset District, said the proposal would advance a nearly decade-long plan to open a community cannabis space in the Mission District, where customers could legally consume cannabis while getting food, snacks or coffee.

The ordinance has drawn opposition from public health advocates and some city officials over concerns about indoor smoking. Supervisor Myrna Melgar, who voted against the measure, said the proposal “sets back our public health goals,” while the American Smokers’ Rights Foundation warned that workers and recreationists could face increased exposure to indoor air pollution.

Mandelman said Tuesday’s vote suggests the proposal is likely to pass final reading.

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