19 February 2026
CLR has been contacted by the LPP (Last Prisoner Project) with regard to some of the allegations in this piece originally published on 26 January 2026 and they have alleged “potential” defamation.
CLR stated on being contacted by their agent that we would be happy to interview representatives of LPP executive and rewrite the article.
In the meantime the article was removed from publication.
LPP (unamed individuals) have subsequently informed CLR via their agent that they do not wish to be interviewed with regard to the allegations in the original story dated 26 January 2026
We also asked via the agent if they would like to be more transparent on the following topics
Executive Renumeration & Bonuses
How they work with the NAACP
If they have a full list of prisoners and prisoners families they work with that they are willing to make public
If they would be willing provide a greater level of detail on their financials
We received no response on any of the above and confirm once again that their agent stated that they did not wish to comment on the original article.
CLR therefore publicly retracts the allegations of the article dated 26 January 2026 and redacts the issues and allegations in the article that we were informed by a representative for LPP that they considered to be “potential” defamation.
Here is the article in its republished form as of 19 February 2026
According to source, Travis Cullen, a convicted non violent cannabis felon and now legal cannabis business owner in the US, he has alleged that the Last Prisoner project, has, over the last year been diverting funds away from prisoners and their families and into the organisation’s payroll structure.
Recently CLR published the following story trying to define via publicly released annual reports where donation funds were being allocated within the organisation
Read
Last Prisoner Project Is Proud Of It’s Transparency But What Do The Numbers Say?
As we highlighted in the piece. Rather than defining numbers in their 2024 report, instead, all we see are pie charts detailng % expenditure under the catch all heading, “Programs” totalling $US2,270,151.00.
Another source has also alleged in conversation with CLR that certain executives in 2023 and 2024 had been paid bonuses not outlined in LPP annual reports for the corresponding years under Management & General.
Please see our prior story outling official executive payments as defined in their annual reports.
Despite raising $3 million in donations as documented in their latest official annual report, Cullen alleges that LPP now only sends $300 to select inmates every three months, totaling roughly $110,000 annually.
This amount, he notes, has already been slashed from previous years, and he says their current plan is to cut grants for released inmates from $5,000 to $1,000 in 2026 and moving forward.
Meanwhile he estimates that LPP’s payroll has “skyrocketed “from $271,975 in 2021 to $1,345,995 in 2023.
Cullen writes,
Founder Mary Bailey,….REDACTED“who
- Nonprofit Compensation: Tax filings for the Last Prisoner Project (a non-profit organization) indicate her annual compensation as Managing Director has been reported in the range of roughly $82,000 to over $119,000 in recent years.
- Industry Background: Before joining the Last Prisoner Project, Bailey was the executive producer of the Maui Cannabis Conference and CEO of Alpha Agency, a Hawaii-based production company.
- Recognition: She has been recognized in the High Times list of the “Top 100 Most Influential People in the Cannabis Industry”.
Source: Google
Here she is doing the speil at MJ Unpacked
Here’s her linked in
What does this mean in practice?
Cullen..
It means that every time politicians or other nonprofits make meaningful progress in cannabis reform, the Last Prisoner Project swoops in to take credit.
This clout-chasing damages the movement, undermining organizations that are actually helping prisoners.
See Politico Story
https://www.politico.com/news/2020/12/30/celebrities-cash-questions-cannabis-prisoner-release-451986
Also
In a Linked In post dated 25 January 2026 Cullen highlights the recent experience of Edwin Rubis who has spent 27 years in federal prison for a cannabis offence who, Cullen says, has had his direct support cut from around $USD300 every quarter to only $USD60.
That’s $USD20 a month.
To put this into perspective, if Mary Bailey, popped down to her local Island Lava Java in Hawai. for a coffee that $US20 would barely last a few days
Cullen writes
REDACTED
CLR searched using google “last prisoner project Edwin Rubis’” Monday 26 Jan 2026
Bringing up two results
The first result (https://www.lastprisonerproject.org/edwin-rubis-thanksgiving-as-an-incarcerated-cannabis-prisoner) highlighted the following page
The Second Result ( https://www.lastprisonerproject.org/prisoners-of-prohibition ) highlighted this page
This said the latter may be a cached page not yet de-indexed by Google as a manual search of thir website url https://www.lastprisonerproject.org/ only brings up one page directly mentioning prisoners by name https://www.lastprisonerproject.org/takeaction and on that page the fiollowing individuals are highlighted.
Rubis it appears runs his own prison ministry now
See https://www.facebook.com/EdwinWRubis/
Cullen Concludes
REDACTED
…/…
In reality, LPP has become a PR machine rather than a lifeline for inmates. The (Redacted Word) campaigns and big claims distract from their lack of substantial support for the very people they use to fundraise.
As an eight-year federal prison veteran and first-time felon, I urge you (Redacted) There are better, more accountable organizations working for incarcerated individuals. The prisoners deserve real support, not empty promises.
Written by Travis Cullen Through the lens of serving 8 years in federal prison on cannabis charges
Further Information
Travis Cullen Background
Travis Cullen was just 21 when he was sentenced to 11 years in prison for a non-violent cannabis offense—his first felony. That experience changed his life and sparked a passion for advocating for others still behind bars for weed. Now, as a cannabis entrepreneur, Travis uses his platform to push for justice and reform, determined to make a difference in an industry that once cost him his freedom. He currently is the CEO of Laughing Waters Smoke Shop in Rochester, MN and Freedom Soda.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/travis-cullen-514aa7a5/
United States v. Travis M. Cullen, No. 04-4206 (8th Cir. 2006)
APPEAL
https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/appellate-courts/ca8/04-4206/044206p-2011-02-25.html
