Cannabis Compliance Board adopts $30,000 settlement with Empire Company LLC; licenses under receivership transferred to Tonopah Farms

On April 17, 2025, the Cannabis Compliance Board approved a settlement agreement with Empire Company LLC (also referred to in the record as Hempire) resolving violations found during a late‑2023 audit and investigation, the board heard.

The settlement, presented by Emily An Bordelov, senior deputy attorney general, resolves allegations that the facility failed to follow its approved security plan and improperly stored cannabis and cannabis products. Empire operated under dual cultivation and production licenses at the time of the audit; those licenses have since been combined under one adult‑use cultivation license (CEID C184) and one adult‑use production license (CEID P120) under NRS 678B.215.

The agreement requires respondent to pay civil penalties totaling $30,000, allocated equally between the two licenses ($15,000 each). Payments are due 30 days after the last required approval is filed — specifically, after approval by the board and by the district court in the receivership matter. Counsel told the board the district court was scheduled to hear the receiver’s motion to approve the disciplinary settlement agreement on April 24, 2025; if the court and board approvals are entered and the notice of entry is filed the same day, payments would be due on or before May 26, 2025, at 5:00 p.m., the settlement text states.

Emily An Bordelov told the board the attorney general’s office recommended the settlement after considering mitigating factors, including Tonopah Farms’ investment of time and money to bring the licenses into compliance while they were under receivership. Counsel for Tonopah Farms confirmed that Tonopah Farms, after beginning operational control in March 2024, invested significant funds to restore operations and lift the summary suspensions; counsel estimated that investment at close to $6,000,000. The settlement also memorializes that no formal complaint had been filed because the parties engaged in settlement discussions following the summary suspension.

Scott Yaris, project manager for the receiver Kevin Singer, was present as the board considered the stipulation. After discussion, Member Maserana moved to approve the settlement, a motion that received a second and was adopted by voice vote. The board’s chair signed the stipulation after the meeting so it could be submitted to the court for its approval.

The record presented to the board lists the alleged violations as one category 3 violation (failure to follow an approved security plan) tied to CEID C184 and one category 4 violation (improper storage of cannabis and cannabis products) tied to CEID P120. The settlement requires a plan of correction that CCB staff had approved as a precursor to lifting the summary suspensions; the board was told that Tonopah Farms is operating the licenses without current compliance issues.

No numeric roll‑call vote totals were read into the record; the motion passed on a voice vote with no board member recorded as opposed.

The board’s action resolves the disciplinary matter subject to the court’s approval of the receivership transaction and the stipulated settlement.