Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi condemned companies that plan to gouge prices ahead of Hurricane Irma, vowing to prosecute and publicly shame them.
“When I see babies, when I see women, when I see children, when I see elderly people who cannot afford a $30 bottle of waters, that’s illegal,” Bondi told Michael Smerconish on CNN. We will fine you $1,000 every violation. Up to $25,000 every single day. And I will be saying your name all over this country. Not to do business with you again.”
Bondi said she reached out to 7-Eleven corporate after she discovered they were price gouging ahead of Irma. The attorney general said that following the call, the company donated $150,000 to the Red Cross and transported free water into the state of Florida.
“That’s wrong. That’s immoral. There’s plenty of water throughout this country. This is about a person trying to make a buck, a quick buck,” Bondi continued. “When we are at our lowest. And during our most vulnerable state in Florida.”
Price gouging is often a problem during hurricanes. Just last month, there were reports of price gouging in Texas after Hurricane Harvey hit.
Bondi has offices throughout the state taking calls on price gouging. In a tweet, she shared a complaint call line number.
I have offices in Tallahassee & across the state open to take calls about price gouging during this state of emergency—866-9NO-SCAM. pic.twitter.com/14VMBhbxhJ
— Fla. AG Pam Bondi (@AGPamBondi) September 8, 2017
Hurricane Irma is expected to make landfall in Florida early Sunday morning as a Category 4 storm.
