Featured Image Credit: Anna Moneymaker / Staff via Getty
A new network of 'Freedom Fuel' gas stations in Philidelphia have been offering discount prices with the approval of U.S. President Donald Trump on social media, and it has taken weeks for people to discover who is actually behind their formation.
As revealed through an investigation by POLITICO, which involved the observance of documents relating to the formation of 'Freedom Fuels Network LLC', the figureheads behind these cheaper gas stations are Randy Brown and Yoni Gontownik — the former being a senior special teams coach at the Baltimore Ravens.
Brown has clear political links to the Republican party, having launched his own political action committee (PAC) and even suggested that he would run for office himself on two separate occasions after his time as may of Evesham Township.
He has also branded himself a 'proud Trump supporter' over the years, and that support for the Republican party is mirrored by Gontownik, a former commodities trader, who has held fundraisers for the party's lawmakers through the pro-Israel NORPAC.
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Even before the two leading figures were revealed, Freedom Fuel has asserted its independence as a business entity that's completely separate from the government, yet Trump's own praise led people to speculate otherwise.
Taking to Truth Social, the president proclaimed that, ahead of America's 250th birthday earlier this month, he was "pleased to announce that a VERY smart retailer [...] is stepping up, and wishing the People of Philidelphia a 'Happy Birthday!'."
Trump added that Freedom Fuel "is taking the lead, and others should follow," outlining that the company is "doing this because they love the U.S.A."
Gas prices at Freedom Fuel stations – of which there were 25 in total – dropped by up to 50 cents per gallon, with the company outlining that volume had increased by 50% on average, with some institutions receiving a growth of up to 100%.
Addressing the speculation, Freedom Fuel 'set the record straight' by illustrating how it "is proudly lowering its prices to benefit our community and strengthen our local economy. Just like the President, we remain committed to putting America First!"
Questions remained about how this is financially viable, yet a third player in the equation could perhaps answer that. As revealed by POLITICO's reporting, New Jersey businessman Shamikh Kazmi has also been linked to the new business, and he himself is tied to the fuel retail and distribution business.
Five of the 17 New Jersey gas stations involved in the Freedom Fuel transformation have Kazmi listed as an authorized operator, and the businessman has been involved in several lawsuits over the years, including legal challenges alleging that he failed to fully pay for hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of fuel, and the failure to pay rent on stations operated in Florida.
While Freedom Fuel stations do still exist in the nation's northeastern states, prices have subsequently increased showing that the drop was indeed unsustainable. Many, however, remain skeptical over the operating process, with more details continuing to unfurl.
