Boston Sheriff Facing Extortion Charges Over Marijuana Stock Scheme
The sheriff in Suffolk County, Massachusetts is under arrest for extortion for allegedly pressuring a Boston-based cannabis company to help him obtain pre-IPO stock in that company.
Sheriff Steven Tompkins was arrested in Florida after he was indicted on two counts of extortion under color of official right.
“Mr. Tompkins is a sitting Sheriff, responsible for over 1,000 employees, who was elected by the good people of Suffolk County. Today, he is alleged to have extorted an executive from a cannabis company, using his official position as Sheriff to benefit himself,” said U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley for the District of Massachusetts.
According to court documents, the cannabis company sought to open a retail cannabis dispensary in Boston and applied for a license. To satisfy legal requirements, the company entered a partnership with the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department (SCSD), whereby the SCSD would help screen and refer graduates of its re-entry program to apply for work at the cannabis store. The application was ultimately approved and renewed.
While this was ongoing, the cannabis company was also preparing to go public. Tompkins allegedly pressured a company executive for stock, reminding the executive that “Tompkins had helped Company A in its Boston licensing efforts.” Court documents say the executive feared Tompkins would use his office to pull the license, so the executive gave into those demands, and Tompkins allegedly obtained a pre-IPO interest in the company’s stock.
The sheriff allegedly wired a $50,000 payment to purchase the stock, which did eventually go public. The shares traded higher but were ultimately worth less than what the sheriff paid. He then demanded a refund, which was agreed to by the company and concealed by the sheriff on checks marked “loan repayment.”
“We believe what the Sheriff saw as an easy way to make a quick buck on the sly is clear cut corruption under federal law,” said Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Boston Division. “The citizens of Suffolk County deserve better, not a man who is accused of trading on his position to bankroll his own political and financial future.”
If found guilty, Tompkins faces up to 20 years in prison on each count.
And it’s not his first brush with the law. In 2023, Tompkins paid a $12,300 fine for violating conflict of interest laws after creating a position in his department for his niece and for asking subordinates to run personal errands for him.