Spokane man pleads guilty in $12M grass seed fraud schemes

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — A former manager of a Washington-based company that produced and sold grass seed and turfgrass to independent Oregon growers has admitted to mislabeling, pyramid and real estate investment schemes that defrauded customers and netted him more than $12 million.

The Oregonian/OregonLive reports 52-year-old Christopher Claypool, of Spokane, Washington pleaded guilty Monday to conspiring to commit wire fraud and money laundering during his first appearance in federal court in Portland.

When Claypool is sentenced in June, prosecutors will seek a four-year prison term if he follows the conditions of his pre-sentencing release, including paying $8.3 million in restitution plus unpaid taxes.

Prosecutors say the various schemes ran from about 2015 through August 2019.