Yahoo Autos New Jersey used car dealer charged with price gouging NYC on millions of N95 masks
NEW YORK — A New Jersey used car dealer was criminally charged on Tuesday with exploiting the coronavirus pandemic by trying to defraud and price gouge New York City into buying N95 respirator masks he was not authorized to sell, in a roughly $45 million scheme.
The U.S. Department of Justice said Ronald Romano, 58, sought quick riches in late March when his Performance Supply LLC tried to sell 7 million of the 3M-branded masks to New York City's Office of Citywide Procurement for about 500% above the typical list price.
Prosecutors said the Manalapan, New Jersey, resident created a bogus letter falsely showing that 3M Co authorized the sale.
He was also charged with offering to sell 3 million Mexican-made N99 face masks to Florida's Division of Emergency Management for $5.46 million, a markup of more than 500%.
