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Comment by fullshark | Hacker News Reader

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."

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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.

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.

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