For the second time in less than two years Nikki Fried – the current Florida Agriculture Commissioner and gubernatorial candidate – has amended her 2018 financial disclosure form filed with the Florida Commission on Ethics.
Tallahassee Reports has learned that the latest amendment, filed on May 28, 2021, comes just days before she officially announced she would be running for governor.
The amendment relates to her gross income in part D of the form. Fried changed the amount of income she received from Igniting Florida to $351,480.
Initially, Fried’s 2018 form 6 had no reference to Igniting Florida. Then Fried filed an amendment on January 30, 2020 adding Igniting Florida as a source of $72,000 in 2018 income. Fried also listed Igniting Florida as a consulting business with her as the sole owner.
The latest amendment indicates Fried overlooked $351,480 in income, which she collected in 2018, when filing the required financial disclosure. In addition, Fried overlooked $280,000 in 2018 income when she filed her first amendment to the form in January 2020.
The source of the income is listed as San Felasco Nursery in Gainesville, Florida.
In 2018 it was reported that Harvest Health purchased San Felasco Nurseries for $65 million.
At the time of the purchase San Felasco held a medical marijuana dispensary license and was authorized to operate as a Medical Marijuana Treatment Center in the state of Florida that can produce, process and dispense medical marijuana and marijuana products. Each Medical Marijuana Treatment Center is allowed to operate up to 25 dispensaries in the State of Florida, subject to increase in certain circumstances.
Fried’s latest financial disclosure form (2020) shows that she has an ongoing financial interest in Harvest Health. In addition, Fried’s family members, including her father, have secured financial interests in marijuana companies since Fried was elected to her statewide position.Â
– – –
Steve Stewart is the Managing Editor and a contributor at The Florida Capital Star. Email tips to [email protected]
