Virginia hemp company accused of cheating immigrant labor

A Virginia company that sells hempseeds and young plants is accused of cheating five immigrant visa workers from Mexico.

The East Coast Hemp Co. of King George faces a wage lawsuit from the H2-A visa workers who say the company broke a 2020 agreement to pay $12.67 an hour and travel expenses.

The workers, all from Mexico, accused East Coast Hemp owner Chris Simpson of paying only $200 each for travel expenses. The workers also say he told them he “did not want to see them here, go to Mexico.”

The workers say Simpson fired them before their contracts were up after wrongly accusing them of breaking a piece of equipment. They seek back pay and unspecified damages.

Simpson did not immediately return a call for comment from Hemp Industry Daily. Law360 first reported the case.