Dubious publicity: Toker Poker code name for Colorado marijuana bust also a smoker accessory
In the four years since they started selling an all-in-one smokers accessory lighter sleeve, tamper and poker Colorado entrepreneurs Matt and Leslie Bodenchuk were hitting their stride.
Earlier this week, the married couple were securing prototypes for three new Toker Poker products and hashing out collaboration agreements with a few musical artists interested in hawking the branded smoking accessories at their shows.
Grand Junction-based Toker Pokers unabashed growth streak of month-over-month and year-over-year sales gains showed no signs of slowing.
Then came Wednesday.
Shortly after noon, Colorados attorney general and state and federal law enforcement agencies announced they had snuffed out the largest illegal marijuana trafficking ring since recreational pot was legalized in the state, with a grand jury issuing dozens of indictments.
As a good swath of the alleged 62-person crew were family or high school friends who played poker together, investigators dubbed the operation Toker Poker, officials told the media.
Matt Bodenchuks phone lit up.
A buddy texted him that a huge drug bust was named Toker Poker.
Business partners queried if the Toker Poker business was involved or even the ringleader.
His mother rang with concern, What in the world are you up to?
Mom, Bodenchuk replied, I swear I have nothing to do with this.
Bodenchuk paused the business deals and shifted into crisis containment.
If you ever looked for Toker Poker online, we were all over the first page of Google, he said, noting that after numerous media outlets covered Wednesdays indictments, were down at the bottom of the Google search. Im not sure how thats going to affect our sales, but I know its going to.
Hes cutting into money set aside for growth plans and allocating that instead for search-engine optimization improvement and corrective advertising campaigns. That alone, he estimated, could run his business $20,000 to $50,000, not to mention plenty of time and energy.
Earlier Thursday, he popped into a bank to see if he could secure a short-term business loan to help out in the short run.
I can tell you, I certainly didnt budget for that, he said. (Those growth plans) were really our whole focus. Now, were literally scrambling to see how we divert some of that money.
Bodenchuk also placed a few calls to law enforcement and state officials trying to learn about how it came to be that a code name shares the name of a firm he established in 2010. He left messages with officials requesting they release a clarification that his firm is not involved in the operation.
In an email response to a request by The Cannabist for an interview, the Colorado Attorney Generals Office reiterated that the ...
