Richard Joseph Buswell, the former owner of the Curious Goods smoke shops, pleaded guilty in federal court today to charges of wire fraud involving an investment scheme defrauding clients out of millions of dollars through another of his companies, the Bowman Investment Group.
• Buswell's Curious Goods plea agreement
U.S. Attorney Stephanie Finley will hold a press conference at 3 p.m. to discuss Buswell's plea and its ramifications for both of the ongoing cases he is party to.
Last week, on July 19, Buswell pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribution of a controlled substance analogue as part of an agreement to cooperate with the ongoing federal prosecutions in the Curious Goods case. He could face up to 20 years in prison and up to $1 million in fines, depending on what he offers prosecutors in the case.