Federal authorities arrested a Milton woman Tuesday on charges of running a multimillion-dollar illegal marijuana business.
Deana Martin, 51, was charged with one count of conspiring to distribute more than 100 kilograms of marijuana, authorities said.
Federal prosecutors said Martin owned an unlicensed delivery business called Northern Herb under the guise of providing medical marijuana, despite not requiring buyers to provide proof of a medical marijuana card.The company pulled in more than $14 million and Martin paid herself more than $80,000 per month. She used the money to pay more than $300,000 toward her home mortgage and bought a new Porsche convertible, according to prosecutors.
Prosecutors said Martin ducked taxes on the millions of dollars of marijuana sales and employed at least 25 people without paying employment taxes for them or issuing them tax documents such as 1099s or W-2s.
Martin laundered the money from her black market marijuana business through several bank accounts acquired in a different name, prosecutors said, hiding her money from U.S. Bankruptcy Court.
Northern Herb stored and distributed marijuana from locations in Foxboro, the Hyde Park neighborhood of Boston and Martin’s Milton residence, prosecutors said.
Martin faces up to 40 years in prison and up to a $5 million fine if she is convicted.
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