Feds Seize Ferrari, Real Estate as Judge Jails Beverly Hills ‘Con Man’
Mark Roy Anderson, 70, of Beverly Hills, was sentenced to 300 months by U.S. District Judge Fernando L. Aenlle-Rocha for defrauding investors of nearly $18 million through sham businesses in the hemp industry. The judge described Anderson as “an accomplished and incorrigible con man” and emphasized the need “to protect the public from him for as long as possible.”
Judge Aenlle-Rocha also scheduled a restitution hearing for June 4 to determine how much Anderson must repay to victims.
Anderson pleaded guilty in April 2024 to two counts of wire fraud. He has been in federal custody since his arrest in May 2023.
“This 25-year sentence takes him off the street so that he cannot harm other victims,” Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph McNally said in a statement. “The defendant stole more than $18 million by promising quick returns on investments in hemp farms and other exotic ventures.”
Anderson carried out the schemes between June 2020 and May 2023 while completing a sentence from a previous fraud conviction. Initially in home confinement and later on supervised release, Anderson solicited funds for fake companies—Harvest Farm Group, BioPharma, and Verta Bottling—by presenting himself as a legitimate businessman in the booming hemp and CBD industries.
In the first scheme, Anderson falsely claimed that Harvest Farm Group operated a hemp farm in Kern County and processed cannabidiol (CBD) products for profit. He told investors the farm had already completed successful harvests and was using specialized machinery to produce CBD isolate and Delta-8, compounds commonly marketed in oils, creams, and supplements.
To build trust, Anderson falsely denied being the same Mark Roy Anderson, who has a long criminal history that includes prior convictions for wire fraud, mail fraud, grand theft, money laundering, and forgery. He concealed his ongoing criminal supervision from potential investors and provided fake documentation to support his claims.
When investors began asking for their money, Anderson stalled by citing delayed shipments, the COVID-19 pandemic, or pending payments from supposed Canadian buyers.
Following the Harvest Farm scheme, Anderson launched another fraud involving Bio Pharma and Verta Bottling, which he claimed manufactured CBD-infused goods and beverages. Prosecutors say Anderson fabricated contracts, forged legal documents, and created fake purchase orders to show demand for products like CBD-infused avocado oil, pain cream, gummies, and even tequila.
He provided investors with samples of these products and claimed his companies possessed millions of dollars in assets. In reality, Anderson used investor funds for personal expenses, including luxury items such as 15 vehicles — one of them a Ferrari — and real estate in Ojai.
In total, Anderson raised approximately $18.8 million from 45 investors and caused an estimated $17.7 million in losses. He has agreed to forfeit assets obtained through the schemes.
The FBI led the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kerry L. Quinn of the Major Frauds Section prosecuted the case.
