The Tennesse brothers who brought thousands of sanitizers, wipes and face masks are now facing their punishment as they are forced to donate these items to the local church and the attorney general’s office has opened an investigation against them.
The Tennesse man who hoarded on thousands of sanitizers, face masks and wipes with the intention of reselling them at higher prices is now forced to donate the items after he faces fierce backlash from the community for his selfish act.
Matt Colvin became famous after he gave his interview to the New York Times. The man admitted to buying the bulk of sanitizers and other stuff and got called out for his selfishness.
The man was then forced to donate two thirds of his stockpile to the local church from where they will be distributed to those in need. Officials also went by his home outside of Chattanooga on Sunday to pick up the other third, which will be distributed to their counterparts in Kentucky. They admitted cleaning out small shops and dollar stores, as well as Walmart WMT, -3.340%, Staples and Home Depot HD, 0.478% before listing their items on Amazon AMZN, -0.622% and eBay EBAY, -5.372% at a “substantial” markup.
Colvin in his interview with the New York Times admitted that he and his brother cleared up the stores after the first death from the virus was reported in the US on March 1.
But after Amazon and other sites started a crackdown and pulled down those accounts that were selling these stuff at higher prices, the brothers were left stranded with these items with nowhere to resell them.
“I’ve been buying and selling things for 10 years now. There’s been hot product after hot product. But the thing is, there’s always another one on the shelf,” he told the Times, which reported that he cried and expressed remorse during the follow-up interview. “I had no idea that these stores wouldn’t be able to get replenished.”
Now he is reaping what he sowed. According to reports, Amazon has suspended his account that was actually means of livelihood for him and the company where he rents his storage unit has booted him, and the Tennessee attorney general’s office has opened an investigation against him. “We will not tolerate price gouging in this time of exceptional need, and we will take aggressive action to stop it,” Attorney General Herbert H. Slatery III of Tennessee said in a statement.
The Times noted that Tennessee’s price-gouging law bans charging “grossly excessive” prices for items such as food, gas, and medical supplies after the governor declares a state of emergency. The state can fine people up to $1,000 a violation.
