Wednesday, December 19, 2018

$140-million organic fraud

A farmer in Missouri has been charged with $140 million worth of organic-market fraud in connection with grains that were sold across the United States.

Court documents filed in Ottawa say it is one of the largest frauds uncovered in the fast-growing organic farming industry. 

The victims included food companies and their customers who paid higher prices because they thought they were buying grains that had been grown using environmentally sustainable practices.

The prosecution says the fraud was led by Randy Constant of Chillicothe, Missouri, who was charged with one count of wire fraud. 

He is expected to plead guilty during a hearing that is scheduled at the federal The federal government wants him to pay $128 million and seized 70 pieces of farm equipment.

It's enough to lead one to lose faith in the holier-than-thou organic growers.