WHITESTONE GROCERS ARRESTED AND CHARGED WITH PRICE GOUGING: District Attorney Melinda Katz Provides Phone Number to Report Gouging

UsaNewsOnline.Com Desk, New York : Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz, along with the New York City Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New York, yesterday announced the arrest of 2 individuals who allegedly sold medical face masks from a Whitestone grocery store Wednesday at an inflated price. Face masks – mandated to be worn by anyone outside who cannot socially distance from others – cost about $1 each.

        Queens District Attorney Katz said, “Sadly, the outbreak of
the coronavirus has inspired greed and manipulation. We are still in the
midst of a crisis and people are still dying every day from COVID-19. We
are actively seeking out individuals and businesses that would take
advantage of people’s real fears during this pandemic to line their
own pockets. If you know of a business or individual inflating the price
of needed personal protection equipment, please call my office at 718
286-6673.”

        NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea said, “The individuals charged
in this case put profits over the health of their fellow New Yorkers by
charging exorbitant fees for face masks that could save people’s
lives. These arrests should serve as a warning: the NYPD is vigilant in
investigating those who prey on New Yorkers and attempt to financially
benefit during the pandemic.”

        The District Attorney identified the defendants as Queens
residents Tae Kyong Kim, 49, of College Point, and Jung Soo Lee, 61, of
Bayside. The 2 defendants were both issued desk appearance tickets and
ordered to appear in court on September 4, 2020. At that time, the
defendants will be formally charged with a New York City Administrative
Code violation under the Department of Consumer and Worker’s
Protection’s Emergency Price Gouging Rule declaring it an
unconscionable trade practice to increase the price of essential goods
and services during an imminent threat to public safety more than 10
percent above the price at which the same good could have previously
been purchased by consumers 30 to 60 days prior to the March 15, 2020
rule.

        According to the charges, an undercover detective visited the
Raspberry Farm grocery store at 150-15 14th Avenue in Whitestone, Queens
Wednesday shortly after 8 a.m. Inside the store, the detective noticed
several displays for boxes of face masks along with signs with purchase
prices for the masks. The price tag for a box of 2 KF94 masks was $10.
The “buyer” picked up a box and the merchant allegedly charged him
$10.

        Continuing, the DA said, according to the charges, a second
detective visited the store shortly after 12 noon the same day and saw
12 boxes of 10 KN95 masks listed for $45 each. This “buyer”
allegedly purchased a single box for $45 from the cashier. Police
allegedly recovered 24 boxes containing 10 KN95 masks, 35 boxes
containing 50 disposable face masks, 31 boxes containing 4 disposable
masks, 153 single packs of KF94 face masks and 67 dust proof face
masks.

        Further, according to the charges, said the District Attorney,
law enforcement executed a court-authorized search warrant yesterday at
the grocery store. Police allegedly recovered invoices showing the
managers paid $30 for the KN95 masks they were re-selling for $45. And
they allegedly charged $39 for a box of 50 disposable masks, which they
allegedly purchased for $24. The defendants allegedly told police in sum
and substance that they had increased the prices of everything in their
store by 50 percent.

        The joint investigation was conducted by members of the Queens
District Attorney’s Office, the New York City Police Department and
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New York.

        Assistant District Attorney Rachel B. Stein, of the District
Attorney’s Economic and Environmental Crimes Bureau, is prosecuting
the case under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Christina
Hanophy, Bureau Chief, and under the overall supervision of Executive
Assistant District Attorney for Investigations Gerard A. Brave.

        It should be noted that a criminal complaint is merely an
accusation and that a defendant is presumed innocent until proven
guilty. Press Release.