A criminal case that stunned and captivated California’s wine industry has reached a definite end recently as the man at the center of the saga died earlier this year.

Mark Anderson was convicted in 2009 of arson, fraud and tax evasion. His layered scheme unraveled under pressure from prosecutors...and he was ordered to pay $70 million dollars in restitution. Anderson served years in prison before receiving a compassionate release due to his age and health conditions.

A journalist who reported extensively on the case, and penned a book about it...Tangled Vines: Greed, Murder, Obsession, and an Arsonist in the Vineyards of California...last week stumbled upon the news of Anderson’s death in January by leafing through court filings.

For details, KRCB’s Marc Albert spoke with reporter and author Frances Dinkelspiel, co-founder of the nonprofit news site Berkeleyside.

That was reporter and author Frances Dinkelspiel, co-founder of the nonprofit news site Berkeleyside, speaking with KRCB's Marc Albert.