Former Michigan House Speaker Rick Johnson Sentenced to Over Four Years for $100K+ Bribes Linked to Marijuana Licensing Board Role

Former Michigan House Speaker Rick Johnson gets 4+ years for taking $100K+ bribes; 38 bribes in 21 months included cash, luxury trips, prostitution; ongoing investigation, hefty sentence, and democracy impact stressed.

Former Michigan House Speaker Rick Johnson gets 4+ years for taking $100K+ bribes. (PHOTO: CNN)

READ ALSO: Detectives Investigate EBT Card Skimming Scandal In Calcasieu Parish, Over $14,000 In Losses Reported

Former Michigan House Speaker Rick Johnson’s Lengthy Prison Sentence for $100K+ Bribes and Corruption

Former Michigan House Speaker Rick Johnson has been sentenced to over four and a half years in prison for taking more than $100,000 in bribes. According to WILX, he admitted to using his role as chair of Michigan’s Medical Marijuana Licensing Board to help those who bribed him get medical marijuana licenses. The FBI considers cases like this a top priority because they undermine trust in the government.

Sources reported that the former Michigan House Speaker Rick Johnson accepted at least 38 bribes, including cash, luxury trips, and even prostitution in just 21 months. U.S. Attorney Mark Totten, who handled the case, made it clear that this wasn’t a one-time mistake but an organized pattern of corruption. The sentence of former Michigan House Speaker Rick Johnson is more than double the average for bribery cases, highlighting the seriousness of his actions.

READ ALSO: CHICAGO POLICE OFFICER INJURED IN PILSEN BUILDING CRASH, TWO SUSPECTS IN CUSTODY

Former Michigan House Speaker Rick Johnson Faces Ongoing Probe, Hefty Fines, and Subsequent Convictions

The investigation is ongoing, and more charges may be filed against others involved.

The former Michigan House Speaker Rick Johnson has also been fined $50,000 and must give up the money he made from the bribes. U.S. Attorney Totten emphasized how public corruption harms democracy by eroding trust in the democratic process.

Additionally, one of the people who bribed Johnson for a marijuana license has been sentenced to two years in federal prison, and two lobbyists in Michigan await their sentencing in connection to this case.

READ ALSO: CVS KANSAS CITY COMMITS TO HIRING MORE STAFF TO ADDRESS PHARMACISTS’ WORKLOAD CONCERNS