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SLO County’s marijuana mogul Dayspring settles civil suit

March 31, 2022

By KAREN VELIE

San Luis Obispo County marijuana mogul Helios Dayspring recently reached a confidential settlement involving a 2020 lawsuit in which an 83-year-old partner sought financial damages and to have Dayspring replaced as the manager of their joint businesses.

In a lawsuit filed six months after FBI agents raided Dayspring’s home on the outskirts of San Luis Obispo, William Szymczak accused Dayspring of misappropriations of funds, breach of contract, fraud and elder abuse. Szymczak’s attorney Miles Feldman said he “is pleased the matter has been resolved.”

SLO County Superior Court Judge Tana Coates is tasked with making sure the parties abide by the settlement agreement.

Szymczak formed a partnership with Dayspring in 2019. They agreed that Dayspring would be paid $48,000 a year to manage their joint cannabis businesses while Szymczak would provide capital, more than $17 million to date, according to the lawsuit.

Szymczak was initially impressed with Dayspring’s experience in the cannabis industry and his claims of close relationships with public officials, according to the complaint. But problems arose. After learning that IRS and FBI agents had raided Dayspring’s home in March, Szymczak had accountants take a closer look at the books.

“To Szymczak’s shock and horror, it is now clear that Dayspring has been looting the companies all along,” according to the lawsuit.

In his defense, Dayspring argued in 2020 that he was taking money out of the accounts to pay taxes, and that he had not misappropriated funds. Dayspring claimed the criminal investigations were tied to a potential tax liability that occurred before recreational cannabis was legal, according to court records.

However, in Oct. 2021, Dayspring pleaded guilty to paying thousands of dollars in bribes to former SLO County supervisor Adam Hill and to tax fraud. Dayspring faces a statutory maximum penalty of 13 years in federal prison. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for April 22.

Dayspring’s civil attorney Marc Smith refers to his client’s issues with Szymczak as business dispute.

“We have a settlement agreement,” Smith said. “Mr. Dayspring and Mr. Szymczak had a business dispute that was resolved by virtue of a settlement.”

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11 Comments
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This is such SMALL TOWN corruption. The amounts of money involved in the bribes, for example, are miniscule compared to those in big cities. I love to read about this small town charm after moving from SLO a few years back to a REAL big city with big money corruption. So cute!


1

Just another example what a low-life corrupt sick individual Helios Dayspring is. Nothing more than a deadly drug dealer who has bribed many local politicians, city, and county entities. Please don’t forget that the local SLO Progressives/Democrats have ties with him and have helped and continue to help with funding for local politicians currently running such as Bruce Gibson (Progressive) and Greg Auslen (Fake Conservative) as District 2 candidates.


He’s still trying to influence our county with his greed and corruption with help of many local Progressive political activist. Follow the money, it’s not hard if you’re paying attention. He deserves to be put away for a long time with all of his cannabis money and wealth confiscated.


23

Ah, geeze. So many bigger issues than this. The nuclear power plant just suffered an inspection failure from the owner and regulator, and you’re worried about pot and fake politicians, there would be no land if we suffered a quake on that double fault.? There are no sane politics here. You think John Peschong is a martyr on a cross, or Parkinson, or Dow? Lordy lordy lordy. Focus here common sense, use your name sake. Focus. Let the Lord guide you.


-16

I don’t know, but I think bribing politicians, along with multiple city and county staffs that leads to a death and a major FBI investigation of many local politicians in two counties is not a small thing.It appears that some support this form of the evilness and are blinded by their father satan at times.


Sorry, but I martyr nobody here on this earth.


11

What ARE you talking about??? father satan? “I martyr nobody”?? I thought this article was about small time pot related naughtiness…


0

When is career changing Ex-Mayor Heidi Harmon going to face up to “Allegedly“ accepting bribes? Are they just going to bury this like so many other serendipitous happenings within? Where is the judge that resigned suddenly, coincidentally, the same time as the mayor? The County handled Adam Hill so well I would expect better. Just kidding.


86

Another failure of DA Dan Dow, past time to replace him.


4

So the next election when his position is open, put your person up against him. You may get your desire just as we will send the cannabis corrupt and bought Bruce Gibson down to defeat in June or November. Actions speak louder than words. Good luck.


17

DA Dow would use Jesus to smear his opponent while he fondles Satan with his six figure salary.


-6

This whole “your person” “my person” BS is exactly why politics is such a cluster F right now. Instead of worrying about which people “your people” are, voters should vote for the most qualified individual and that individual should serve ALL PEOPLE not just the clique they think helped elect them.


3

Don’t you know that Plantation Party privilege is a real thing?


0