Keith Chambers II joins the Office of the Attorney General The Office of the Attorney General welcomes Mr. Keith Chambers II to the organization as an assistant attorney general in its civil division. In 2019, Chambers moved to the CNMI to serve as a law clerk to Judge Joseph N. […]
Continue readingCategory Archives: Latest News
OAG welcomes new AAG and announces Chief promotion
OAG welcomes new AAG and announces Chief promotion The Office of the Attorney General is pleased to announce the addition of its newest assistant attorney general, Mr. Charles P. Reyes Jr. and the promotion of Mr. John Lowrey as chief of civil division. “We are pleased to welcome Charles to […]
Continue readingAttorneys General Urge Congress to Pass Extension for CARES Act Funding as Pandemic Impacts Economy
Attorneys General urge Congress to pass extension for CARES Act funding as pandemic impacts economy Attorney General Edward Manibusan has joined a coalition of attorneys general representing 43 states, the District of Columbia and 4 other U.S. territories, urging Congress to extend the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economy (CARES) Act […]
Continue readingAG Manibusan announces $85M multistate settlement with American Honda Motor Company, Inc. and Honda of America Mfg., Inc.
AG Manibusan announces $85M multistate settlement with American Honda Motor Company, Inc. and Honda of America Mfg., Inc. Attorney General Edward Manibusan announced today a more than $85 million multistate settlement with American Honda Motor Co., Inc. and Honda of America Mfg., Inc. (collectively “Honda”), over allegations Honda concealed safety […]
Continue readingCNMI AG urges U.S. Senate to pass legislation to fight shell companies
CNMI AG urges U.S. Senate to pass legislation to fight shell companies Attorney General Edward Manibusan joins a bipartisan group of attorneys generals urging the U.S. Senate to pass S. 2563, the Improving Laundering Laws and Increasing Comprehensive Information Tracking of Criminal Activity in Shell Holdings (ILLICIT CASH) Act. The […]
Continue readingCNMI and Guam petition to form coalition with Hawaii to combat drug trafficking through HIDTA program
CNMI and Guam petition to form coalition with Hawaii to combat drug trafficking through HIDTA program Attorney General Edward Manibusan and Attorney General Leevin T. Camacho have jointly petitioned seeking High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) designations under the Hawaii HIDTA. The petitions were submitted on June 12, 2020 to […]
Continue readingOAG completes independent review
Office of the Attorney General completes independent review into the use of deadly force Attorney General Edward Manibusan reports the completion of a review of the March 12, 2020, shooting incident that involved the death of Gordon Castro and Keisha King and the use of deadly force by law enforcement. […]
Continue readingIncrease in Car Thefts Prompts Alert by the Attorney General
Increase in Car Thefts Prompts Alert by the Attorney General The Office of the Attorney General has seen an increase in reports of stolen cars. These cases are largely crimes of opportunity by younger individuals acting in a group. In 2019, a total of 6 theft of vehicle charges were […]
Continue readingAG issues alert of COVID-19 scams
********CONSUMER ALERT******** AVOID COVID-19 SCAMS Attorney General Edward Manibusan issues alert of Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) scams Attorney General Edward Manibusan is alerting CNMI residents to a wave of COVID-19 scams occurring worldwide as a result of the global Coronavirus pandemic. These scams focus on all areas of consumer vulnerability in […]
Continue readingAG warns against price gouging – March 17, 2020
Attorney General warns against price gouging
The Office of the Attorney General has received increasing number of complaints against business establishments in the CNMI for price gouging as a result of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) emergency.
Attorney General Edward Manibusan warns retailers that the Consumer Protection Act makes it unlawful for any business to engage in price gouging following a state of emergency. The Attorney General explains, “price gouging occurs when a business increases prices based on the shortage of goods caused by a natural disaster or any other emergency.” He added, “the Office of the Attorney General will prosecute, both criminally and civilly, any business that engages in price gouging.”
“If consumers notice price gouging occurring, they should submit complaint forms that are available on our website www.cnmioag.org under the Consumer Counsel section or via email by sending a request to consumer_counsel@cnmioag.org,” the Attorney General stated. “Consumers may also contact the Attorney General Investigative Division Hotline at 237-7627 or submit a complaint through the OAG website at www.cnmioag.org/hotline,” added the Attorney General.
The Governor declared a price freeze pursuant to the Consumer Disaster Price Freeze Act on March 5, 2020, which will be in effect until he rescinds all declarations of emergency, disaster or price freeze. It is illegal for any person or business to raise the price of any items while a price freeze is in effect. A violation of the Consumer Disaster Price Freeze Act is punishable by a $10,000 fine and one year of imprisonment for each violation.
The price of the following items are frozen:
- Gasoline, kerosene, diesel fuel, natural gas, and all other chemical fuels, whether in gaseous, liquid, or solid form;
- All foods and foodstuffs, including water, bottled water, beverages, and ice;
- All clothing;
- Flashlights, lamps, lanterns, candles, light bulbs, and other means of illumination;
- Generators, cables, wires, electrical batteries of every sort, and similar equipment for the generation and/or transmission of electrical power;
- All appliances used in the storage and/or preparation of food, including, but not limited to, stoves, barbecue grilles, ovens, refrigerators, and coolers;
- Tools typically used for construction, ground clearing, or home repairs, whether electrically powered, chemically powered, or manual, including, but not limited to, saws, machetes, hammers, drills, shovels, rakes, and brooms;
- All bedding items, including pillows, futons and blankets;
- All medicines, medical equipment, and personal protective equipment (PPE), including but not limited to masks, gloves, and hand sanitizers;
- All housing rentals including apartments and condominiums.
Consumers should save all receipts, invoices, and other documents related to price gouging. When submitting a complaint to the Office of the Attorney General, consumers should submit copies of any supporting documents and retain the originals for their own records.
Loading...
Reload document
Open in new tab