Beverly Hills Conman Who Swindled Investors Peddling Fake Weed Farm Hit With 25-Years
A practiced swindler from Beverly Hills was hit with a twenty-five-year federal sentence Wednesday in connection with a $18 million scheme that bilked investors who ponied up cash for a sham weed farm, prosecutors say. Mark Roy Anderson, 70, a career conman who was on federal parole for another scheme when he started stealing again, used other peoples' money to live a lush life with $650,000 spent on "luxury and vintage vehicles," over $400,000 in cash withdrawals, more than $142,000 in retail purchases, and other personal expenses, including a sprawling million-dollar-plus home and citrus grove in Ojai, according to a criminal complaint. Anderson's latest skim started in Beverly Hills immediately after his May 2019 release from a federal prison in Texas where he had served more than 11 years for an oil investment scheme, according to court records. He was still on federal parole when he began to steal again, prosecutors say.On Wednesday, United States District Judge Fernando L. Aenlle-Rocha called his crimes "breathtaking," saying: 'Many [of his victims] have lost their life savings reflecting decades of hard work.' Judge Aenlle-Rocha also described Anderson as 'an accomplished and incorrigible con man' and added that 'the public must be protected from him for as long as possible.'
Anderson pleaded guilty in April 2024 to two counts of wire fraud. He has been in federal custody since May 2023.
'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.' said Acting United States Attorney Joseph McNally. 'Today's 25-year sentence takes him off the street so that he cannot harm other victims.'
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Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. An 81-year-old Florida woman has been arrested and accused of using bear mace against her 3- and 6-year-old neighbor's children after they were blowing bubbles in their own driveway. Ada Anderson was taken into custody following the incident on May 30, 2025, in Ocala in northern Florida, according to the Marion County Sheriff's Office's (MCSO) probable cause arrest affidavit. Anderson is also accused of spraying bear mace at the girls' mother, April Morant, who told authorities that Anderson, who is white, also yelled racial slurs at the children, who are Black, during the incident. The MCSO has been contacted via email for comment. Ada Anderson at Marion County Jail. Ada Anderson at Marion County Jail. Marion County Sheriff's Office Why It Matters According to physicians, the use of pepper spray on children—which is weaker than bear mace can lead to lasting physical, neurological, and psychological damage. The chemical irritants can impact a child's developing lungs causing asthma, and can lead to nerve damage if it enters the brain. Being pepper sprayed can also lead to lasting psychological trauma. What To Know According to Anderson's arrest report, the children were blowing bubbles in their driveway when the suspect walked over to the fence separating their two properties. She then pulled out the bear mace and sprayed the children and their mother, per police. Anderson used the n-word while spraying the family, Morant told police. Morant also told police this is not the first time they have been subjected to racial slurs from Anderson. She provided video evidence of this to the MCSO. Morant told the MCSO that she and her children were hit with the spray and that her lungs were in pain. The 6-year-old child told police her nose hurt from the spray, and the 3-year-old was not interviewed by police. Officer Wesley Kenny, who filed the affidavit, said he observed an orange/brown substance on the fence, and that deputies on the scene experienced irritation when smelling the substance. He identified the substance to be pepper spray based on his experience in the field. The terms pepper spray and bear mace are used interchangeably in the affidavit, despite them being two different substances. It is unclear at this time which was used. The affidavit also states that Anderson told police the girls were yelling at her from their fence, so she sprayed the substance at the girls. She said they were not hit by it. What People Are Saying April Morant told WSAZ: "Bubbles. Literally, the bubbles put [Anderson] in a whole other arena, whatever was going on with her mind. What went through my head is I thought she had a gun, so I literally kind of jumped, like it startled me…I didn't know what was in her hand…and then she sprayed it." What Happens Next Anderson is being charged with three counts of battery in the second degree. The second-degree aspect of the charge is because the alleged attack was racially motivated. She has posted bond for her charges after initially being held at the Marion County Jail. Morant is attempting to get a restraining order against her, according to WSAZ.
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