Editing Price gouging (section)

=== Price gouging-related lawsuits during the COVID-19 pandemic ===

In response to the issuance of emergency price gouging regulations, multiple state attorneys general and federal agencies have investigated potential cases of price gouging impacting consumers and agencies. Since regulatory measures vary by state, there is no uniform interpretation of price gouging violations, and it is left to state courts to decide.

==== Eggs ====

On August 11, 2020, [[Attorney General of New York|New York Attorney General]] [[Letitia James]] sued [[Hillandale Farms]], one of the largest U.S. egg producers, for allegedly price gouging more than four million cartons of eggs by increasing prices by almost five times during the pandemic. The lawsuit alleges that the price increases were an effort to profit off of higher consumer demand during the pandemic.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Attorney General James Sues One of the Nation's Largest Egg Producers for Price Gouging During the Coronavirus Pandemic|url=https://ag.ny.gov/press-release/2020/attorney-general-james-sues-one-nations-largest-egg-producers-price-gouging|access-date=2021-04-19|website=ag.ny.gov|date=August 11, 2020 |language=en}}</ref> To settle the lawsuit, Hillandale Farms agreed to donate 1.2&nbsp;million eggs to New York food banks.<ref>{{Cite web|title=1.2 Million Free Eggs Coming to New York in Pandemic Price Gouging Settlement|url=https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/1-2-million-free-eggs-coming-to-new-york-in-pandemic-price-gouging-settlement/2977008/|access-date=2021-04-19|website=NBC New York|date=April 2021 |language=en-US}}</ref>
==== Personal protective equipment ====

A Mississippi businessman purchased scarce [[personal protective equipment]] (PPE) including gowns, face shields, and masks through his pharmaceutical wholesale company. An indictment alleges that the business then solicited health care providers, including the U.S. Veteran's Association, to purchase the PPE at excessively inflated prices as part of a $1.8&nbsp;million scheme. This case was investigated by the FBI, Veteran's Association, and Fraud Section of the United States Department of Justice. The charges brought were conspiracy to commit wire fraud and mail fraud, conspiracy to defraud the United States, conspiracy to commit hoarding of designated scarce materials, and hoarding of designated scarce materials.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-01-28 |title=Mississippi businessman accused in scheme to hoard PPE |url=https://apnews.com/ed7ab64c4c7d4e970df7ee498d30060b |access-date=2024-08-26 |website=AP News |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=January 27, 2021 |title=Businessman Charged in Scheme to Hoard Personal Protective Equipment and Price Gouge Health Care Providers |url=https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/businessman-charged-scheme-hoard-personal-protective-equipment-and-price-gouge-health-care |website=[[U.S. Department of Justice]]}}</ref>{{Update needed|date=August 2024}}