When Ohio officials warned folks not to hoard toilet paper, they weren’t playing around. Now, an eBay seller who offered toilet paper, hand sanitizer, and masks for sale online is facing a lawsuit.
Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost says he managed to track down the guy who operated under the name Donkey 476 on the online auction site.
“There’s another word for donkey that immediately comes to mind when thinking about these folks,” Yost said.
Hoarded Supplies
Here’s what the state says this Donkey476 sold online:
- Toilet paper
- Hand sanitizer
- N95 masks
N95 masks are the kind worn by first responders and healthcare workers. Citizens and businesses across the state were asked to either donate or sell their supply to the state because of a critical mask shortage.
Instead, the Ohio Attorney General says Donkey476 and his partners in crime began hoarding vital supplies. They bought more than 1,200 N95 masks and other essential supplies.
Then, this shameless guy put the vital masks up for sale on eBay at an average price of $36. The normal going rate for these masks is $2.
An emergency room nurse who is married to an emergency room doctor saw the listing and contacted this guy. She asked him to rethink his high prices since lives were at stake due to COVID-19. This dude’s answer:
“You and your husband should work for free during this crisis, you are greedy!”
The state managed to track down this guy’s identity. His name is Mario F. Salwan. He’s from Chagrin Falls. And he’s got a lot of explaining to do.
Using the Valentine Act, Ohio’s antitrust law, the AG has filed a lawsuit asking for a temporary restraining order and the ability seize Salwan’s assets. They also forced this guy to give all of his masks to the State in exchange for reasonable compensation.