"I’ve talked to foreigners, I’ve talked to Russians in Naples. I’ve always been skeptical of that kind of stuff."
Two South Florida businessmen indicted last week on charges they illegally funneled foreign money into U.S. politics in an attempt to purchase influence in Washington and cannabis licenses in multiple U.S. states also pursued entry into Florida’s medical marijuana industry, the Miami Herald has learned.
Lev Parnas and Igor Fruman — naturalized citizens now subpoenaed to turn over documents in the impeachment investigation into President Donald Trump — sought to invest in one of Florida’s state-issued cannabis licenses, according to three sources familiar with their efforts.
As recently as May, Parnas and Fruman were speaking to attorneys in Florida’s marijuana industry about purchasing a stake in any one of the 22 companies licensed by the state to grow marijuana. But their plan appears to have been unsuccessful due to an inability to prove that they had the cash.
Read more at the Miami Herald