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FBI Investigates Nevada Cannabis Licensing Process

August 30, 2021

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is investigating whether illegal influence played a role in how the state’s cannabis licenses were awarded, according to a Las Vegas Review-Journal report. Federal authorities have been conducting interviews over the past year to determine whether businesses or individuals attempted to sway politicians or bureaucrats with gifts, money, job offers, or campaign contributions in exchange for industry licenses.

Tyler Klimas, executive director of the Nevada Cannabis Compliance Board, told the Review-Journal that he was unaware of any official investigation but wouldn’t be surprised if there was one.

Public records show the state Attorney General’s Office was notified on Feb. 18, 2020, of a joint investigation by the Nevada Department of Public Safety and FBI.

Neither an FBI spokeswomen nor agent who reportedly conducted the interviews offered to comment on the investigation to the Review-Journal.