Man misrepresents corn as organic, gets 2 years in jail

A man from rural Oregon was sentenced to more than two years in federal prison for selling conventional corn to a man who believed it was organic.

Harold Chase, 55, purchased approximately 2,253 tons of conventional corn and doubled his profits by misrepresented it as USDA-certified organic. Court documents show Chase purchased corn from four grain suppliers in Idaho and Eastern Washington.

He had the corn delivered reloaded to disguise its origins. His scheme netted a $190,000 profit.

False documentation was sent by Chase to Grain Millers to prove the corn was USDA-certified organic. Authorities were involved when inconsistencies were found in an audit of the transaction.

The Eugene Register-Guard reports Chase reached a plea deal in December to a single count of wire fraud in connection to the case.

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