United States Sued for Illegally Seized Marijuana Cash

Empyreal, a Pennsylvania-based money transportation company, has filed suit in the Central District of California, accusing the FBI and the San Bernadino County Sheriff’s Department of scheming to illegally pull over company vehicles and seize money from its marijuana dispensary clients.  The case is Empyreal Enterprises LLC., v. The United States of America, et al. 5:22-cv-00094-JWH-SHK.

The lawsuit claims that Empyreal vehicles have been stopped five times on trips between Kansas and California by local law enforcement since May 2021. Twice, these stops resulted in cash seizures of over $1 million, which was then turned over to the FBI. The suit claims these seizures amounted to “highway robberies.”