Misdemeanor price gouging charges have been filed by the California Attorney General against Katrin Golian, doing business as RxAll Pharmacy, an independently-owned business located at 1125 South Beverly Drive, Suite 100, Los Angeles, California.
On March 4, 2020, Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, which triggered price gouging prohibitions statewide. The Governor later issued Executive Order N-44-20, which prohibits businesses that did not sell certain emergency-related items prior to the emergency declaration from charging a price for the items that is greater than 50 percent more than the seller’s cost of purchase.
The criminal complaint alleges that Ms. Golian, a licensed pharmacist, knowingly sold KN95 masks at prices exceeding the 50 percent mark-up permitted under the executive order. This is the first time that charges have been filed under Governor Newsom’s executive order on price gouging.
Following a consumer complaint against RxAll Pharmacy, an investigation conducted by the California Department of Justice revealed that Ms. Golian had been purchasing individual masks for $5 each and selling them at $10 each – 100 percent more than her cost for the masks – despite the Governor’s executive order.
After being warned by special agents that the price of the masks violated the Governor’s executive order, Ms. Golian acknowledged the warning and agreed to reduce the price on masks.
Several days later, special agents returned to RxAll Pharmacy and found that Ms. Golian was still selling masks at the same price she had previously been told violated the order. Ms. Golian sold undercover agents two masks at the unlawful price of $10 each.
Under California law it is unlawful to refuse or willfully neglect to obey any lawful order issued under the Emergency Services Act. Violation of this section is punishable as a misdemeanor, including imprisonment in county jail for not more than six months and/or a fine of not more than $1,000. This offense has a one-year statute of limitations.