Kolding cannabis company linked to Russian mafia fraud scheme worth 4.8 billion kroner

In an industrial area of Kolding, a nondescript building houses Cannabis International, which was once heralded as a cornerstone of a global investment venture. The company, however, has been revealed as part of a Russian mafia operation that defrauded individuals worldwide out of 4.8 billion kroner over two years, according to a recent documentary.

Cannabis International was established in 2018 with the intent to cultivate cannabis for medical use. After three years, it entered into an agreement with JuicyFields, a burgeoning investment platform, which eventually became its majority owner. JuicyFields had announced plans for Cannabis International to produce 40,000 kilograms of cannabis annually, inadvertently making the Kolding firm part of a global scam affecting 186,000 victims.

Insider reports detail how the operation was meticulously orchestrated, with a member named Igor Kekshin describing how he traveled to various cannabis farms to secure deals that would entice investors. He indicated that the founders of Cannabis International interacted with figures involved in the JuicyFields scam.

The company even constructed a new production facility and created promotional materials to showcase its vision. However, the Danish founders have since left the business.

Among the victims is Thomas Nelson, who invested over a quarter million kroner after being assured of a legitimate partnership with JuicyFields. When access to the platform was suddenly cut off in July 2022, Nelson and countless others found their investments vanished as the Russian masterminds disappeared with the money. Despite multiple attempts for comment, the founders have yet to respond regarding their knowledge of the operation’s true nature.