The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission sued VerdeGroup Investment Partners and other defendants Monday in California Central District Court for allegedly misappropriating approximately $467,000. The defendants are accused of misrepresenting to investors that their money would go toward a marijuana business venture, then funneling most of the funds to relief defendants Tommy’s Pizza Ventures and Cynthia Gaffney. Lawyers have not yet appeared for the defendants. The case is 2:21-cv-07663, Securities and Exchange Commission v. VerdeGroup Investment Partners, Inc. et al.