BERLIN, Vt. (AP) - The Vermont attorney general’s office has settled with a South Burlington business and its owner over what the office called a “price-gouging scheme” involving masks sold to Central Vermont Medical Center last spring.
As part of the settlement, Shelley Palmer, owner of Big Brother Security Programs, Inc. must provide 80,000 items of personal protective equipment to CVMC, and 10,000 to the state to be distributed around Vermont, the Times Argus reported.
Attorney General T.J. Donovan’s office had sued Palmer and his business in April saying Palmer had imported surgical masks from China that cost 10 cents each and then sold those masks to the Berlin hospital for $2.50 each, a 2400% mark up.
Palmer said it was a business decision and the hospital agreed to the price.
“Price-gouging will not be tolerated in Vermont, especially during this historic pandemic,” Donovan said in a statement on Monday. “Protecting Vermonters, especially hospitals and medical professionals, from unfair practices involving medical equipment will remain a top priority for my office.”
Palmer was also fined $15,000 but that fine was suspended because he was unable to pay it. A phone message was left at Big Brother Security Programs, Inc.
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