surprising fact
Randy Brown, a senior special teams coach for the Baltimore Ravens, and former commodities trader Yoni Gontownik formed Freedom Fuel on June 23, a week before Trump promoted the stations, according to Politico. Fourteen of Freedom Fuel’s 25 locations are controlled by companies linked to Shamikh and Syed Kazmi, eight of which are leased from the investment firm Blue Owl Capital, the Associated Press reported. Both Shamikh and Syed Kazmi have reportedly faced claims of unethical business practices in recent years: In 2021, a federal judge in New Jersey ordered the Kazmis to pay more than $600,000 to a fuel supplier that alleged they stole gas.
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key background
Trump, who has repeatedly promised lower gas prices, announced the Freedom Fuel Network in a Truth Social post earlier this month. Trump said the gas stations were “taking the lead” at offering lower gas prices, even as costs began to rise again as a peace deal between the U.S. and Iran unraveled. It was previously unclear what company was behind the gas stations, and some analysts warned their lower costs were unrealistic without some form of government subsidy. Patrick De Haan, GasBuddy’s head of petroleum analysis, reportedly said of Freedom Fuel’s price point: “Generally, when losses happen, somebody’s got to pay for it.”
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further reading
ForbesTrump-Promoted ‘Freedom Fuel’ Discounted Gas Station Launches In Philadelphia AreaBy Antonio Pequeño IV
ForbesU.S. Gas Prices Top $4 Again As Iran War Continues To EscalateBy Siladitya Ray