Attorney General Jim Hood Continues to Fight for Consumers

Attorney General Jim Hood will take the 2 of 7 Mississippi oil companies to court that refused to settle on charges of gas gouging that occurred immediately after Hurricane Katrina. The two companies are Wilburn Oil of Mantachie, and Fair Oil of Louisville. These companies took advantage of needy people in crisis and they should get swift justice.

Mississippi law prevents prices from being increased during a state of emergency. The law, though, does allow retailers or oil distributors, such as Wilburn, to pass along price increases they incur.

That apparently is not what happened here.

After the storm, Hood said, his office was inundated with complaints alleging oil distributors of price gouging. He said many companies did raise prices, but that some did so to cover their increased costs.

He said he chose to pursue only the most obvious examples of price gouging. While admitting no wrongdoing, five companies have agreed to cooperate and pay a total of $293,255 to the state, including the cost of the alleged price gouging and penalties.

Keep 'em on their toes Jim, let them know Mississippi is not a place where you can swindle your neighbor.

The Daily Journal Article