iStockphoto / Nodar Chernishev
Over the weekend, the news of a man who stockpiled 17,700 bottles of hand sanitizer went viral because everyone despised him for hoarding life-saving supplies and trying to capitalize on a pandemic. After getting destroyed online after the New York Times piece was published, Matt Colvin attempted to atone for his actions by donating the massive amount of hand sanitizer. However, he still could be in trouble from the Tennessee attorney general.
Matt Colvin and his brother traveled around to various retailers in Tennessee and Kentucky to amass as many bottles of hand sanitizer they could collect. They stored their hand sanitizer stash in their garage in Hixson, Tennessee. The brothers sold 300 bottles on Amazon for as much as $70 apiece. Amazon and eBay kicked off Colvin for price-gouging the hand sanitizer as well as medical face masks for $50.
Colvin attempted to make things better after getting torn apart on Amazon for his greedy actions during a viral infection outbreak. Colvin donated two-thirds of his stash to a church in Tennessee, and the rest will be delivered to a group in Kentucky.
JUST IN: Office of @TNattygen says the stockpiled medical goods were taken to a local church where they’ll be spread throughout the community & a portion of the sanitizer will go to KY where the brothers cleared shelves. Colvin says he was willing to donate. @WRCB https://t.co/sI8IIiZM87 pic.twitter.com/T5Vhqtevke
— Hunter Hoagland (@HunterHoagland) March 15, 2020
UPDATE: Calvary Chapel in Chattanooga says they plan on distributing the inventory to first responders and nursing homes. The church has 2/3 of the sanitizer bottles and medical supplies. @TNattygen says they have the other 1/3 which will go back to Kentucky.
@WRCB https://t.co/FFyOOkJK6G pic.twitter.com/4WxfATyREg— Hunter Hoagland (@HunterHoagland) March 16, 2020
HAPPENING NOW: Matt did not answer our calls so we went to his storage unit. The AG’s office was on the scene facilitating with the donation. This is the 3rd stop they’ve been to this morning to gather the sanitizer.
@WRCB https://t.co/SLOaEwJLOj pic.twitter.com/REJPNhiSbS— Hunter Hoagland (@HunterHoagland) March 15, 2020
“It was never my intention to keep necessary medical supplies out of the hands of people who needed them,” Colvin told the NYT on Sunday.
“That’s not who I am as a person,” Colvin said as he broke down in tears.
On Thursday, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee declared a state of emergency, which included an anti-price-gouging law.
“We will not tolerate price gouging in this time of exceptional need, and we will take aggressive action to stop it,” Tennessee Attorney General Herbert H. Slatery III said in a statement on Saturday night.
Matt’s website looks a lot different this morning after @TNattygen ordered he and his brother to stop buying and selling.
We have reached out to Matt to see when and where the donation is taking place. We have not heard back. @WRCB https://t.co/xbbJhJO4lV pic.twitter.com/XKOfA8HL8b— Hunter Hoagland (@HunterHoagland) March 15, 2020
But Matt Colvin isn’t off the hook just because he donated the health supplies.
“I just want to make clear that donating the sanitizers does not mean they are off the hook legally. If evidence establishes they engaged in price gouging we will seek appropriate penalties,” said Samantha Fisher, Director of Communications, for the Tennessee Attorney General.
“I just want to make clear that donating the sanitizers does not mean they are off the hook legally. If evidence establishes they engaged in price gouging we will seek appropriate penalties.”- Samantha Fisher, Director of Communications,
Tennessee Attorney General.
@WRCB https://t.co/OWXFpXvSsU— Hunter Hoagland (@HunterHoagland) March 15, 2020
Hate to see it.