Documents filed in 2020 shows that Nikki Fried had a financial interest in a marijuana company doing business in Florida in 2019, the same year she created the Cannabis Office and the Medical Marijuana Advisory Committee in the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Affairs.
Also, documents filed with the Florida Commission on Ethics indicate that Fried’s 2019 financial interest in Harvest Health & Recreation, Inc was not revealed until months after she created the marijuana related government organizations.
Fried filed her 2019 Form 6 – Full and Public Disclosure of Financial Interests – as required by law on June 30, 2020. The form indicated she had a financial interest in Harvest Health & Recreation through an asset labeled “Ignite Holdings, LLC”. The exact date that the marijuana related asset was obtained was not provided. The asset was listed with a value of approximately $190,000.
The Tampa Bay Times reported that Fried was asked about her investments in early 2019, but she refused to provide details.
Fried’s 2018 Form 6 did not show a financial interest in Harvest Health & Recreational. This indicates it was acquired after Fried was elected to her position as Agriculture Commissioner.
The Capitolist was the first to report the connection between Nikki Fried and Harvest Health.
TR has previously revealed that Fried’s fiancee and her father, Ron Fried, have a financial interest in a cannabis related business which began in 2019.
Harvest Health & Recreational
Headquartered in Tempe, Arizona, Harvest Health & Recreation Inc. is a vertically integrated cannabis company and multi-state operator with operations in Florida.
Harvest Health & Recreation purchased San Felasco Nursery in Gainesville, in November 2018. The purchase price was reported to be approximately $65 million.
Nikki Fried listed San Felasco as a main source of income in 2018.
“Florida is one of our core markets with a rapidly growing medical patient population,” Harvest CEO Steve White said in January 2021. “We look forward to opening new retail locations in Florida after additional capacity at Alachua comes on line.”
Fried, like other officials, is required to file Form 6 for 2020 within the next two months. The filing should reveal the status of her investment in Harvest Health & Recreation.
Nikki Fried and Marijuana
In February 2019, Fried announced her appointment of Holly Bell as the Director of Cannabis. A press release stated that Bell’s role would be to “oversee the development of rules, work directly with scientific experts, and ensure Commissioner Fried’s vision for cannabis in Florida continues moving forward.” (Emphasis added)
In June 2019, Fried announced a newly-created Medical Marijuana Advisory Committee. The press release noted that the purpose of the committee was to “collaborate with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to help improve the state’s medical marijuana policies.”
“I’m proud to establish the medical marijuana advisory committee to help expand patient access, and to advance and modernize policies to move Florida into the future of medical marijuana,” stated Commissioner Nikki Fried.
Fried – who is a former marijuana lobbyist – has been an outspoken advocate for legalizing marijuana. Fried recently tweeted that “Legalizing cannabis solves lots of problems and creates none.”
Fried also recently penned an opinion piece published in the Tallahassee Democrat speaking against a Florida House bill which places a cap on THC levels. Her position mirrors the industry position. (There was no disclosure included with the opinion piece informing readers that Fried and her family have financial interests in marijuana companies.)
At no time during 2019 did Fried disclose that she or her family had a financial interest in marijuana companies.
Nikki Fried Had Financial Interest in Marijuana Company While Making Decisions Related to Marijuana Industry added by Steve Stewart on
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This shouldn’t be surprise to anyone. All liberals are corrupt and power hungry elites.
and nothing will happen
Now… the only question is… what – if anything – will be done about Nikki Weed and her clear and present Conflicts of Interest and potential acts of Public Corruption?
Of course any legitimate action and/or investigation of this will be met with barking about “political retribution” or “mud slinging” and an attempt to harm her upcoming futile run for Governor. But will our so-called “leader(s)” have the courage to ignore and dismiss the noisemakers, and do the right thing here?
Democrats lie, cheat, steal, and rig elections… it’s what they do; it’s all they know; it’s who they are.
Wake up people…
Jay, true, she does not regulate Medical Marijuana. But, If you want to grow Marijuana in the State of Florida, you must get a license from…….wait for it……Nikki Fried.
Only Democrats were allowed to invest in these lucrative Marijuana business’ and only Democrats will reap the big money from their investments.
Wait thats not true. However it totally explains why absolutely nothing will ever be done about Nikki and she knows it and is acting accordingly.
Although I cant prove it you just logically gotta accept that a lot of big name Republicans got big time marihuana money invested with many of these business’ and very likely with the ones in this article also.
Dont hold your breath for any spanking of Nikki ever. Its just a dream but a logical dream. A dream that will never come true.
Out of deference and great respect to all Florida’s big name Republicans who have big time money invested in these marijuana business’ you may have noticed I did not even once refer to Nikki by the funny but accurate moniker of “NIKKI WEED”…oh darn I just did.
She knows what she is doing is wrong, that’s why she has kept it all hidden. Well its not hidden now Nikki, and its as wrong as the day is long.
The Secretary of Agriculture cannot be trusted to tell the truth or do the right thing, so she must resign immediately.
She doesn’t regulate medical marijuana.
An elected official is prohibited from regulating any business or profession in which the official has financial interest.
An elected official is prohibited from taking any official action which will benefit the official financially.
Using an elected position for personal gain is a violation of Florida’s Ethics Code.
As soon as someone files a complaint with the Florida Ethics Commission, she’s done for.
DO NO HARM should apply and authorities should step in immediately.
When you are profiting from entities you are supposed to be regulating for the health welfare and safety of the citizens you have the potential to harm citizens AND cause a great liability to the State of Florida.
Collectively the DEA, the governor, the FBI, the Attorney General, etcetera need to step in immediately to prevent harm and liabilities.