The VICE story focused on a national chain of dispensaries that go by the names Green Tree, WeeMedical, CannaGreen, Herbal Leaf, and WeeCare Med. They are all believed to be owned by the same group of people—a man named Robert Clarke, and a BC-based mother and son May Joan Liu and Justin Liu.

Former employees told VICE management recruited young workers, assuring them that they weren’t likely to be arrested in raids and that if they were arrested the company would pay for their legal fees. That was a lie, according to four former workers who were arrested and say they were never provided with legal help. The dispensaries are also accused of selling moldy weed, and forcing employees to work long hours with no breaks and in some cases no heating. One employee said she was robbed five times while working for the chain, but was forbidden from calling the police.

According to VICE’s sources, the cluster of Ottawa stores were the most profitable, with each raking in $1,000-$15,000 a day—and at least $750,000 a month total. May Joan Liu’s home is $6.2 million West Vancouver mansion, while former Ottawa workers said Clarke favoured a Rolex watch, diamond chains, and luxury cars. One of the shops in Clarke’s other dispensary chain, Limelife, was busted by Vancouver police for allegedly being tied to the Hells Angels.

VICE visited seven Ottawa stores Wednesday. Six of them were closed, though two appear to have closed prior to the VICE investigation, which was published November 16.

Green Tree’s head office phone number was disconnected after VICE reached out for comment during the investigation. An email request for comment sent out Thursday did not receive a response.