Queens trio arrested in alleged price gouging scheme after selling medical masks to undercover

[TexasTowelie]

Queens trio arrested in alleged price gouging scheme after selling medical masks to undercover detective


Three men from Queens have been arrested after allegedly engaging a price gouging scheme in which they sold 1,000 medical masks for 10 times the regular price, Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced on Monday, April 20.

“We are in the midst of a global pandemic. Thousands of people have died and medical workers do not have enough personal protection equipment to do their jobs safely,” Katz said. “Sadly, these three men allegedly thought about pocketing a profit as a result of the coronavirus outbreak by price gouging. This is unconscionable and will not stand in Queens County.”

The investigation, carried out by the NYPD, Homeland Security Investigations and the U.S. Postal Inspections Service, found that Yuriy Borukhov, 33, Maisey Khovasov, 23, and Michael Borukhov, 23, were selling 3M R95 face masks – which normally sell for $1 – for $10 each, the DA said.

“Exploiting people’s need to protect themselves for personal gain is always wrong,” NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea said. “It is unconscionable in an ongoing pandemic, when everyone from healthcare providers to police officers to everyday New Yorkers needs this lifesaving equipment, and I commend our detectives and law enforcement partners for working together to discover and end this scam.”

Read more: https://qns.com/story/2020/04/20/queens-trio-arrested-in-alleged-price-gouging-scheme-after-selling-medical-masks-to-undercover-detective-da/
(Queens Times Ledger)