STUDIO CITY : Store Manager Guilty of Price Gouging
The former manager of a Studio City convenience store pleaded no contest Thursday to charges of price gouging after the Northridge earthquake.
Mohiuddin Chowdhury, 36, of North Hollywood entered his plea in Van Nuys Municipal Court. The charges arose out of events at Chowdhury’s 7-Eleven store at 11007 Ventura Blvd.
Chowdhury was accused of violating a section of the city’s Municipal Code that makes it a misdemeanor to increase the cost of food items and emergency supplies by more than 10% after an emergency such as the Northridge earthquake.
According to Deputy City Atty. Don Kass, Chowdhury substantially increased prices on items such as water, batteries, ice and milk. Some prices were more than doubled, Kass said.
Chowdhury will return to court May 4 for sentencing. Kass said it is very likely that Chowdhury will be placed on two years probation and will have to pay $7,000. The money will go toward court fines and to the American Red Cross for disaster-relief services, Kass added.
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