Fifteen million dollars in restitution ordered for man involved in organic seed scam in South Dakota

February 26, 2021

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) – Restitution of more than $15 million has been ordered in South Dakota for the man who defrauded wholesale seed distributors by passing off non-organic products as more expensive organic goods.

An earlier sentencing document had not listed the amount of restitution for Kent Duane Anderson, of Bradenton, Florida. Anderson was sentenced Monday to 51 months in federal prison after earlier pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering as part of an agreement with prosecutors.

He was initially indicted on more than 40 charges.

Anderson was accused of reselling thousands of tons of non-organic seeds at a marked-up organic prices.

The products he bought from suppliers were allegedly shipped to a storage and loading facility in North Dakota.