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Beverly Hills Man Accused of Scamming Investors Out of $9 Million in Hemp Farm Scheme
LOS ANGELES – Mark Roy Anderson, 68, a Beverly Hills man who was completing a sentence in a prior federal fraud case, has been indicted on five counts of wire fraud for allegedly soliciting more than $9 million from investors with false claims they were investing in a hemp farm that did not exist.
According to the indictment, Anderson falsely represented that he owned and operated a hemp farm in Kern County, California, and had already completed successful and profitable harvests of hemp from the farm. He also claimed to be using his own machinery and equipment to convert the hemp into CBD isolate and/or Delta 8, a psychoactive substance.
However, the indictment alleges that none of these claims were true. Anderson allegedly attempted to maintain a veneer of trustworthiness by taking steps to assure investors that Harvest Farms Group was legitimate and he was not the ‘Mark Roy Anderson’ with multiple prior fraud convictions.
The indictment alleges that Anderson concealed his prior convictions, including mail fraud, wire fraud, grand theft, forgery, preparing false evidence, and money laundering, and that he was still serving a criminal sentence and on supervised release at the time he was soliciting investments.
Anderson allegedly used investor money for personal expenses, including over $650,000 worth of luxury and vintage vehicles, over $400,000 in cash withdrawals, more than $142,000 in retail purchases, and other personal expenses, including over $1.3 million spent to purchase a residence and surrounding citrus groves in Ojai.
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant committed a crime. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Anderson has been ordered held without bond in this case and is scheduled to be arraigned on the indictment in United States District Court on May 30.
Mandatory Facts:
Defendant: Mark Roy Anderson
Criminal Charges: Five counts of wire fraud
City and State: Beverly Hills, California
Date: May 9, 2024
Sentence: Held without bond
Dollar Amounts: Over $9 million
Key Facts
- State: California
- Category: White Collar Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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