NJ Landscaper Charged With Price Gouging During Superstorm Sandy
TRENTON, N.J. (AP) -- A New Jersey landscaping company is facing charges of price gouging during Superstorm Sandy.
The state's Consumer Affairs Division has filed action against Stephen's Landscaping for allegedly defrauding customers by charging exorbitant prices for generators and illegally selling gasoline.
The state attorney general's office says the Long Branch-based retailer, which operates as Stephen's Garden Center, sold $176,950 in generators, including models that had been recalled due to potential fire hazards.
A message left Monday at a listing for the company was not immediately returned.
The attorney general's office says that between October 30 and November 3, 2012 -- days after a state of emergency was declared due to the storm—the company sold the generators at markups of up to 155 percent, for prices ranging from $800 to $1,550.
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