Michigan Politician Sentenced to 55 Months for Accepting Bribes from Cannabis Businessmen
Former Michigan House Representative Rick Johnson, known by the nickname “Batman,” has been sentenced to 55 months in prison for accepting bribes from representatives of the cannabis industry.
Corruption Involving Over $110,000 in Bribes
From 2017 to 2019, Johnson served as the chairman of the Michigan Medical Marijuana Licensing Board, which was dissolved in April 2019 after recreational marijuana was legalized in the state. Johnson’s position gave him significant influence over which companies would receive licenses to grow, process, and sell medical cannabis. He used this authority for personal gain.
Entrepreneurs seeking licenses contacted Johnson, referring to him as “Batman” for secrecy. They paid for his encounters with prostitutes, bought him tickets to sporting events, and gave him at least $42,000 in cash. According to police, the total amount of bribes, including gifts, was at least $110,000.
Businessman John Dalaly Implicated
One of the businessmen caught bribing Johnson was John Dalaly, who represented the Canadian cannabis investment company PharmaCo in Michigan. Dalaly paid Johnson $68,200, after which his company received a license to operate. However, due to the ensuing scandal, PharmaCo was forced to sell its cannabis stores to Red, White & Bloom.
Relatively Lenient Sentence for Johnson
In April, Johnson pleaded guilty to accepting bribes and agreed to cooperate with investigators. Prosecutors requested a sentence of nearly six years in prison, but the court handed down a less severe punishment: four years and seven months behind bars. In addition, Johnson was fined $50,000 and agreed to voluntarily pay $110,200 to the federal budget. He could have faced up to 10 years in prison for his crime.
Prosecutor Mark Totten commented on the sentencing: “Rick Johnson’s shameless actions have tarnished the reputation of the emerging cannabis industry, undermined public trust in government, and damaged the rule of law. We are always ready to fight corruption, no matter where it occurs.”
Dalaly Receives a Shorter Sentence
Michigan law provides the same punishment for both giving and receiving bribes. However, Dalaly will serve a much shorter sentence than Johnson—just two years and four months. Dalaly expressed remorse, saying he was ashamed and apologized to his three daughters and his wife of 45 years.