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On Oct. 15, Rosa Cazares, the CEO of the troubled cannabis chain La Mota, was indicted by a federal grand jury on eight counts of tax fraud. Federal prosecutors allege Cazares, who runs La Mota with her longtime business and sometimes domestic partner Aaron Mitchell, failed to pay $1.5 million in employment taxes in 2020 and 2021.
Cazares and Mitchell run a network of cannabis dispensaries, grows and manufacturing facilities. In the years since former Secretary of State Shemia Fagan resigned in May 2023 following WW’s reporting that she had signed a $10,000-a-month consulting contract with the couple, Mitchell in particular has been plagued by a growing number of federal and state tax liens alleging millions in unpaid personal income, payroll and marijuana taxes. Yet their business limped along. The indictment of Cazares could change that.
Newly obtained records show that in June 2026—four months prior to her indictment—Cazares asked the Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission to strip her name from all La Mota-related licenses, essentially removing her from a formal leadership role in state records. (The OLCC database shows 41 active La Mota–related licenses.)
“Please accept this letter as formal written notice of my resignation as Chief Executive Officer, and from any and all officer, director, manager, and governing-person roles I hold with La Mota and each of its affiliated, parent, subsidiary, and related entities, including Veriede Holding LLC (collectively, the ‘La Mota entities’),” Cazares wrote in a June 26 letter to the agency. “My resignation is effective September 1, 2026. As of that date, I will no longer serve in any leadership or management capacity with any of the La Mota entities.”
Cazares wrote before signing off: “Until further notice, I should not be treated as an active or responsible party on any La Mota license or application.”
The meaning of Cazares’ move is unclear, though it’s likely that she was aware at this point that she was the subject of a federal investigation.
Curiously, Cazares is still listed as a secretary, manager, registered agent or person with direct knowledge for 36 different active LLCs filed with the secretary of state’s business registry.
Cazares’ attorney did not respond to a request for comment.
Though Cazares was indicted for tax fraud, the tax liens issued to Mitchell over the years far exceed the liens issued to Cazares in that same time frame. While many of Mitchell’s liens are for delinquent state taxes—including new liens totaling $7.9 million issued this summer by the Oregon Department of Revenue—Mitchell has been issued federal liens by the Internal Revenue Service, too. Three federal tax liens issued to Mitchell in 2022 and 2023 totaling $5.7 million for personal income taxes and employment taxes have not been “released” by the IRS, meaning that if Mitchell is paying those outstanding debts down, he has not yet paid them in full.
