Indiana Attorney General Investigates 30 Fuel Retailers for Suspected Price Gouging

The Indiana Attorney General’s office has launched formal price gouging investigations into 30 major fuel retailers across the state. The probe follows more than 170 consumer complaints submitted since Governor Mike Braun declared an energy emergency on April 8, according to Attorney General Todd Rokita.

The governor's emergency declaration temporarily suspended Indiana’s 7% gasoline sales tax and its 36-cents-a-gallon excise tax through June 7. Under the executive order, the attorney general's office was directed to monitor fuel prices to ensure the tax savings are passed directly to consumers. In addition to the 30 formal investigations, the state has initiated informal inquiries into price fluctuations at 100 other gas stations.

To conduct the investigations, state officials are issuing civil investigative demands to compare retail prices with wholesale fuel costs starting seven days before the April 8 executive order. The attorney general's office is also utilizing a public dashboard, INFuelWatch.com, which tracks prices at 4,600 gas stations statewide to help identify potential outliers.

Davey Neal, deputy director of the Consumer Protection Division, stated that fuel stations found to have engaged in price gouging will face fines per violation and be required to surrender profits from illegal pricing. Neal noted that while stations are permitted to make independent business decisions, such as offering cash discounts, investigators are focusing on regions where the margin between retail and wholesale prices is unusually high.