Feds Seize Medical Gear from Profiteering Hoarder | Hacker News Reader

Feds Seize Medical Gear from Profiteering Hoarder

informedamerican.com

"When confronted by federal agents, Feldheim wasn’t cooperative. In fact, he claimed to have COVID-19 and coughed on them."

The authorities don't mess around when it comes to that. This alone could earn him some prison time. Will be interesting to see how the case ends.

Link should probably be changed to the source article: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-usa-go... or a state press release if someone has a link

EDIT: https://edition.cnn.com/2020/04/02/politics/hhs-redistributi... seems to have some additional info too

What's the crime? I understand why morally this might be repugnant but is it illegal? Based on the linked article they arrested him for things unrelated:

"Officials said they seized the supplies from Baruch Feldheim, a 43-year-old Brooklyn man arrested on March 30 for lying about his activity and coughing on FBI agents who questioned him."

Many US states (or locals) have laws against price gouging during a declared emergency. In the case of NYC, see https://www1.nyc.gov/site/dca/media/Face-Masks-in-Short-Supp...

What portion of that law makes immediate seizure and redistribution an appropriate penalty? Are alleged price gougers not entitled to due process?

https://www1.nyc.gov/site/dca/media/pr031720-DCWP-Emergency-...

No portion - the relevant law simply imposes a fine. In this case the Federal government seized them under the Defense Production Act and will reimburse at market value. There’s multiple overlapping laws and authorities working together in this case.

Under the Defense Production act, the federal government can seize "health and medical resources necessary to respond to the spread of COVID-19" for the US government.

EDIT: other article: https://edition.cnn.com/2020/04/02/politics/hhs-redistributi...

> HHS said it used its Defense Production Act authority to take possession of the items for the US government and will pay Feldheim the market value.

"Feldheim’s defense lawyer, James Moriarty, denied the charges and said his client had not yet entered a plea."

Apparently, the defendant is known to have consulted a criminal mastermind. /s

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