A San Luis Obispo County cannabis dispensary founder will plead guilty to bribing late county supervisor Adam Hill in exchange for favorable votes, influence over other government officials and confidential information, federal prosecutors announced Wednesday. In the agreement, he says he paid Hill $32,000 in under-the-table cash and money orders between 2016 and 2019, along with free cannabis products and meals for the supervisor. The bribes to Hill allegedly began in fall 2016 and continued through November 2019. The cannabis business owner appeared in federal court by video on Friday, Oct. 22. The IRS agent, often with the help of an IRS revenue analyst, will then comb through a targets bank statements, credit and debit card statements, business records, and federal filings (to include currency transaction reports, CTRs) and compare that information with a targets tax returns. The maximum sentence for the bribery and tax offense is 13 years, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office, but Dayspring is likely to get a much lighter sentence in exchange for his guilty plea. In total, Dayspring paid the late Third District supervisor multiple bribes in cash and money orders totaling $32,000. The quid pro quo was clear, according to Daysprings plea agreement. After all, he worked hard to be eligible for a $3.4 million dollar fine? Whoops! Instead, Dayspring will serve his time in Fresno County at FCI Mendotas minimum security satellite camp. Its a sad day for everybody., Arnold said, this news brings closure to a long investigation.. Central Coast cannabis kingpin Helios Raphael Dayspring better known as "Bobby" was named after the sun god of Greek mythology. Helios Raphael "Bobby" Dayspring was charged in federal court with one count of bribery and one count of underreporting millions in federal tax income to the IRS, according to the US Department of . On the way to the restaurant, the business partner told Dayspring that Shoals wanted a bribe in exchange for the permits. It is unclear what will happen to his businesses now that Dayspring has been charged. Whoops! Helios "Bobby" Dayspring, 35, agreed to plead guilty to one count of bribery and one count of filing a false tax return for failing to report millions of dollars in income to the Internal Revenue . He pleaded guilty in July to bribery and filing a false tax return. Grover Beach City Manager Matthew Bronson said the city needs more information and to do an internal review of the matter before it can be in a position to comment on the situation. That was Ryan Petetit who changed his name to Ryan Wright. Nick Andre, Tara Graves, and.Mark Cardona are the other three people listed as directors of the MOM INC Delaware Corporation, all obviously designed to hide Helios Daysprings controlling ownership interest after the shit hit the fan.The City of SLO needs to admit they overlooked the fraud committed by these liars and cancel their permits. Daysprings downfall is a warning to all. Invariably, a federal corruption or fraud case will involve money that was not reported to the IRS. Helios Raphael "Bobby" Dayspring, founder and former majority owner of Natural Healing Center, pleaded guilty to bribery and filing a false income tax return in October 2021. But as he acquired hundreds of acres of land to grow . If I am not deemed complete and get accepted, conditional use permits, I don't get my ownership in the land. Prosecutors charged Helios Raphael Dayspring, 35, of San Luis Obispo with one count of bribery and one count of subscribing to a false 2018 income tax return, when he allegedly deliberately failed . Extension of timeframe seems reasonable and probably no one else in until everyone has been deemed complete., Dayspring responded that Hill was the man., On Dec. 12, 2018, Hill told Dayspring by text that the board approved the extension, to which Dayspring replied, Thank God . I love the plant. In addition to bribing the San Luis Obispo County supervisor, Dayspring attempted to bribe the then-mayor of Grover Beach in exchange for two dispensary licenses in that city. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, The worlds largest pot farms, and how Santa Barbara opened the door, California is awash in cannabis cash. He also underreported income on returns filed from 2014 to 2018, according to the agreement. Los Angeles, California 90012. Please reload the page and try again. According to the Santa Maria Times, Dayspring appeared in court on Friday via Zoom to enter guilty pleas for one charge of bribery and one of tax evasion. According to court records, Dayspring also confessed to trying to bribe John Shoals, then mayor of Grover Beach, for his support in helping Dayspring secure two dispensary licenses. He discussed with the supervisor the importance of keeping the abeyance in place, writing in a text message, Its really important u guys extend the timeframe for submission and dont allow other people in yet, according to the plea agreement. In total, Dayspring paid the late Third District supervisor multiple bribes in cash and money orders totaling $32,000. ?, Dayspring responded: were (sic) all (you) need lol.. The authorities also discovered that $5,000 cash from Dayspring had been provided to the birthday celebrant. Lock Natural Healing Centers was founded and owned by Helios Dayspring, . The federal agents got records from a Pismo Beach restaurant where the birthday meal for the supervisor was held. For 2018, for example, he reported taxable income of $1.26 million when his actual income was more than $6.5 million. After that, Dayspring allegedly asked his business associate whether they owed Shoals $50,000, prosecutors allege, and the business partner said their proposed deal required that defendant and business partner 1 receive two permits.. Tight on Time: Can Canadas Licensed Producers Hang On? A satellite camp.Sounds cozy.He can easily run the show from there. When you think about who has to scramble, Helios might be the hardest worker and will need this deserved rest. Helios "Bobby" Dayspring, 36, of San Luis Obispo appeared before Judge Andre Birotte, Jr. in the U.S. District Court for the Central District, where he was sentenced to 22 months in prison after . He represented the 3rd District on the San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors, which includes most of the city of San Luis Obispo as well as Avila Beach, Pismo Beach and Grover Beach, from 2008 until his death by suicide in August 2020. Prosecutors charged Helios Raphael Dayspring, 35, of San Luis Obispo with one count of bribery and one count of subscribing to a false 2018 income tax return, when he allegedly deliberately failed to report millions of dollars to the IRS, according to a U.S. Department of Justice news release. These many customers vote their will too and one can only imagine what their will is? Dayspring, over a three-year period starting in 2016, bribed a San Luis Obispo county supervisor with money, free cannabis, and fancy meals, so that the local government official would vote in favor of policies which favored Daysprings San Luis Obispo cannabis farm and his Grover Beach, California retail outlet. Do not corruptly influence political decision makers. Three weeks later, Dayspring and his business associates addressed the Board of Supervisors during the public comment period, urging the county to again extend the abeyance. Helios Dayspring now faces a maximum sentence of 13 years in prison, three years of probation, a $500,000 fine, and could be forced to pay the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) $3.5 million in restitution. Official websites use .gov Editors Note: Since the legalization of marijuana, allegations of bribery, human trafficking, black market sales and money laundering have surfaced. Central Coast cannabis kingpin Helios Raphael Dayspring better known as Bobby was named after the sun god of Greek mythology. Helios Raphael Dayspring, the founder of the Natural Healing Center, which has shops in Grover Beach and Morro Bay, has agreed to plead guilty to the felony charges, pay $3.4 million in . Shoals did not respond to that offer at the dinner, prosecutors said. He said he spent millions transitioning into the legal cannabis market. Dayspring said it was for two, meaning two dispensary permits. The mayor did not respond to the offer, and Dayspring did not pay the bribe. It later extended the abeyance in a series of votes over the next three and a half years. Dayspring has also been embroiled in a series of lawsuits from former business partners, including a lawsuit by investor William Szymczak, who claims Dayspring allegedly diverted millions in company funds to himself,and used some to try to stave off IRS and FBI investigations. In his plea agreement, Dayspring acknowledged funneling $29,000 in cash and $3,000 in money orders to a San Luis Obispo County supervisor who has since died. Federal prosecutors downplayed the value of Daysprings work as an informant, saying it had led to no new investigations or arrests. Shoals did not respond to the offer. (Joe Johnston / San Luis Obispo Tribune photo), Former Grover Beach Mayor John Shoals was allegedly offered $100,000 in bribes by Helios Dayspring at a dinner in 2017. As of 2019, Dayspring also owned 18 properties in San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties where he either grows marijuana or was planning to cultivate it,he told The Tribune at the time. Federal prosecutors today also filed a plea agreement in which Dayspring agreed to plead guilty to both felony offenses, pay $3.4 million in restitution to the IRS, and cooperate in the governments ongoing investigation. Pay for expert consultation before starting the business, not after paying a bribe to a local official.. On their way to the meeting, business partner 1 told (Dayspring) that (Shoals) had been pushing business partner 1 for a bribe in exchange for their cannabis permits, the filing reads. Dayspring admitted that he had also tried to bribe the mayor of Grover Beach, a small city south of San Luis Obispo, where he was trying to open two marijuana dispensaries. In another over-the-top text exchange, the county official texted that his birthday was around the corner and what was Dayspring going to do for him. They put state and local prosecutors through their paces. Family lawyers (who handle marriage break ups and custody decisions) often do heartbreaking and essential work too. Bobby Dayspring, 36, was sentenced by United States District Judge Andr Birotte Jr. Dayspring has paid the restitution order of $3,438,793 to the IRS in this case. The city later awarded Dayspring a single permit. Dayspring also acknowledged filing a tax return in 2019 that reported his taxable income as $1,262,894 when it in fact exceeded $6.5 million, the agreement says. Hill died by suicide at age 54 in August 2020. Do you defend people charged with other crimes to include drunk driving and assault? . . Helios Raphael Dayspring, a.k.a. He expressed responsibility and contrition for his transgressions, while at the same time blaming an unidentified attorney for leading him astray and into bribery. When Shoals returned to the table, Dayspring showed the mayor his cell phone, which had the number 100,000 displayed on the calculator app. Cannabis business operators need experienced lawyers to guide them. There was an error and we couldn't process your subscription. Defendant wanted to convey to (Shoals) that (Dayspring) and business partner 1 were prepared to pay $100,000 to (Shoals) if ( Shoals) used (his) official position to secure two cannabis dispensary permits for Dayspring and his associate, the filing says. In 2017 the city began accepting permit applications, and Dayspring applied for two dispensary permits. Daysprings cannabis corruption machinations were discovered after federal authorities began a multi-year investigation into local government corruption up the California coast. Sign up for Indy Today to receive fresh news from Independent.com, in your inbox, every morning. Have you ever worked as a federal prosecutor? Helios Dayspring, who also goes by Bobby, agreed to a plea deal that was filed July 28 in federal court in Los Angeles and is likely to land him in prison for around 33 months. The attempted $100,000 bribe took place during a dinner meeting in September 2017. The mayor did not respond to the offer, and Dayspring did not end up paying the bribe. In July this year Dayspring spelled out how he conspired with Megan Souza, Eric Powers, and Nick Andre in NHC SLO LLC vs City of SLO (case #21CV-0734) to fraudulently obtain all three SLO City cannabis store permits. Once the IRS is aboard a federal criminal investigation, it becomes easier for the prosecutor to get copies of the targets federal tax returns without a court order. Rybarczyk, for the government, and the federal judge (who also was a former federal prosecutor in the Central District), would have none of that and attributed all blame for the corrupt behavior to Dayspring alone. A plea agreement filed by prosecutors will allow Dayspring to plead guilty to the charges, pay $3.4 million in restitution to the IRS and cooperate in the ongoing investigation. Helios Raphael Dayspring, who goes by the name "Bobby Dayspring," was charged in federal court with one count of bribery and one count of subscribing to a false 2018 income tax return that . Use this page here to login for your Independent subscription. Please reload the page and try again. You're on the list. Has the lawyer assisted and prepared five separate and unrelated cannabis licensing applications? And Eric Powers and Megan Souza are the friendly phoney faces on the criminal organization. Do you defend (in state and local courts) individuals charged with cannabis possession and/or distribution? At one point, Hill texted Dayspring that he had to keep these fs (other county supervisors) from going way beyond and it is exhausting! Two months later, the Board of Supervisors was weighing whether to ban all outdoor marijuana cultivation, which would have dealt Dayspring a significant financial loss, the plea agreement says. One of Daysprings current lawyers, Sandra Brown, herself a former Central District federal prosecutor, spoke on Daysprings behalf at the sentencing hearing. The supervisor had previously said he attempted suicide after federal agents served a search warrant at his government office in March 2020. He crossed the ethical line. ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. In September 2017, after those permit applications had been submitted Dayspring and one of his business partners had dinner with Shoals at a restaurant in Arroyo Grande. FBI please finish the job! Helios LPG Pool, founded by Phoenix Tankers Pte Ltd and Dorian LPG Ltd, commenced operations from offices in Denmark and Singapore on April 1, 2015, initially with 4 vessels contributed by its founding partners. "Please be advised that Helios Dayspring has sold his interest in NHCSLO, LLC, to Valnette Garcia," attorney Paul Ready wrote on Sept. 9, 2020, referring to Dayspring's dispensary, Natural Healing Center. Dayspring was also ordered to pay almost $3.5 million in back taxes to the IRS from years of unreported cannabis business income. Dayspring also admitted that he and a business associate attempted to bribe former Grover Beach Mayor John Shoals with $100,000 during a dinner meeting in September 2017. Click here to read Helios Daysprings complete plea agreement. SLO economy hampered by slow growth, economist says, Houweling sued over workers comp claims from Camarillo greenhouse, Santa Barbara cannabis company makes $23.5M acquisition. Helios Bobby Dayspring, who owned marijuana farms and dispensaries along the Central Coast, has admitted bribing a San Luis Obispo County supervisor in exchange for votes that favored his business affairs. Bobby Dayspring, 35, was charged in federal court with one count of bribery and one count of subscribing to a false 2018 income tax return that deliberately failed to report millions of dollars in income to the IRS. According to federal prosecutors, from fall 2016 to 2019, Dayspring paid the . According to the court documents, Dayspring owned, operated, and/or had a controlling interest in multiple farms that grew cannabis in San Luis Obispo County. Mercy on you, we hope. Supervisor Adam Hill a passionate if abrasively outspoken champion of the underdog on the dais $29,000 in cash and $3,000 in money order payments in exchange for Hills vote to keep Daysprings operations exempt from a county moratorium on new cultivation permits. DAYSPRING: "It's really important you guys extend the time frame for submission and don't allow other people in yet [as] [t]his affects all the properties that I just got investment into, every one of them. Megans Organic Market and SLOCAL Roots are his criminal front organizations actively laundering his money and carrying the business forward. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. Gov. There was an error and we couldn't process your subscription. Do you represent people in family law matters to include divorce and child custody. By Tony Biasotti Thursday, July 29th, 2021. The duty to pay taxes is irrespective of the legality of the business. 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