Second Minnesota man pleads guilty in organic crops fraud scheme

Following an earlier indictment of a Minnesota farmer in an alleged organic crops fraud scheme, a second Minnesota man has pled guilty to falsifying information in the same case.

James Clayton Wolf pleaded guilty in May to wire fraud as part of a bigger scheme to sell $46 million in non-GMO corn and soybeans as organic. Wolf was indicted last year on three wire fraud counts. The most recent charge is for sending buyers a copy of his National Organics Program certification to accompany this group of non-organic non-GMO corn and soybeans.

Now Adam Clifford Olson, owner of Olson Seed LLC, has pleaded guilty to falsifying the degree of his involvement in Wolf’s operation when he applied for crop insurance in 2020 for organic crops farmed by Wolf. A plea agreement states Olson “knowingly and willfully made a false statement and report” to obtain insurance. The Federal Crop Insurance Corp. gave $69,380 in total reimbursements to Wolf’s operation in 2020.

Wolf is said to have directed some of the $46 million he illegally received to a third party who “spent the money for Wolf’s benefit.” Wolf’s organic farm certification was revoked in 2020.

Source: DTN/Progressive Farmer

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https://www.dtnpf.com/agriculture/web/ag/news/article/2023/05/30/second-minnesota-man-pleads-guilty

Organic & Non-GMO Insights August 2023