Suspicion: The budget gas station chain that the US President praised as patriotic sold stolen fuel
The Freedom Fuel gas station chain, praised by Donald Trump for its low prices, is facing allegations of selling stolen fuel. A lawsuit by Mansfield Oil claims the company acquired $4 million worth of fuel without paying for it.
The budget gas station chain Freedom Fuel, operating in Philadelphia, New Jersey and their surroundings, made headlines ahead of July 4th, when President Donald Trump praised its low prices, noting: "They do it because they love the United States."
Later, the White House even released a video showing drivers filling up and thanking Trump for the low prices, at that time 3.47 dollars per gallon, a tribute to the 47th president. The White House, as well as the chain, did not explain how they managed to market fuel at prices significantly lower than the competitors. The White House said at the time to reporters that it was a private company that reduces profit margins for patriotic reasons.
Since then, it has emerged that behind the chain are a former mayor in New Jersey, the coach of the Baltimore Ravens football team (a donor to the Republican Party), and also businessmen who were involved in several lawsuits — according to reports on the "Politico" website.
Now, a lawsuit filed on August 19 by the fuel company Mansfield Oil reveals that KRSM, owned by Syed Kazmi, one of those controversial businessmen, purchased a million gallons of fuel worth about 4 million dollars and did not pay for them. According to the lawsuit, KRSM sold part of this fuel to Freedom Fuel.
A spokesperson for the White House, quoted in "Politico", said that "the administration has zero ties or business with the defendant Syed Kazmi or with KRSM, the company owned by him." A spokesperson for the gas station chain noted that "there is no connection between KRSM, Syed Kazmi and Freedom Fuel."
