Gas station network linked to Trump faced numerous regulatory violations

A gas station chain promoted by President Trump had collected nearly 200 penalties before he publicly backed it. The chain, called Freedom Fuel, launched recently in the Philadelphia area.

One of its operators, Syed Kazmi, has a troubled business history. A court ordered him to pay $380,000 to 7-Eleven after his store had serious hygiene problems, including rodents and rubbish. 7-Eleven also accused him of stealing cigarettes bought on credit.

In February, a federal judge ordered Kazmi and his brother to pay more than $600,000 to a fuel supplier. In 2021, the brothers used tanker trucks to take over 230,000 gallons of fuel without permission. The supplier has still not received payment.