Attorney General James Uthmeier has announced an expansion of the Office of Statewide Prosecution’s investigation into alleged election fraud related to a marijuana petition campaign. The office has opened 46 new criminal investigations and issued four subpoenas for records from Smart & Safe Florida, as well as its contractors and subcontractors.
“Recently obtained documents show that Smart & Safe Florida knew about dozens of fraudsters turning in over 21,000 petitions and failed to inform law enforcement,” said Attorney General James Uthmeier. “Florida’s Constitution is not for sale, and we will not allow a mega marijuana corporation to hijack our state’s governing document.”
According to the Attorney General’s office, about 50 petition circulators working with Smart & Safe Florida were registered and collecting signatures for the Adult Personal Use of Marijuana initiative. These circulators submitted more than 21,600 petitions; over 14,500 were invalidated by election officials due to concerns such as mismatched signatures or other signs of fraud. However, approximately 7,100 petitions from these individuals were verified as valid by local Supervisors of Elections.
In recent months, nine petition circulators have been arrested or had warrants issued against them. At least six additional cases are pending, with further arrests expected as investigations progress.
The subpoenas require Smart & Safe Florida and associated entities to provide documents related to the alleged fraudulent activity. The investigation aims to determine if criminal responsibility extends beyond individual petition circulators to organizational conduct.
Statewide Prosecutor Brad McVay has formally notified the Special Agent in Charge at the Florida Department of Law Enforcement about the scope of the investigation and requested relevant records.
The Florida State Executive – Attorney General offers programs designed to protect residents from fraud through education and consumer alerts. The office also collaborates with law enforcement agencies on public safety initiatives statewide and provides resources for vulnerable groups such as seniors and military members.