Virginia attorney general asks court to force Richmond market to cooperate in price gouging probe
Attorney General Jason Miyares has petitioned Richmond Circuit Court to compel Manchester Market to answer a civil investigation demand tied to complaints about bottled water prices during January's water crisis, while the store's manager says the market never raised prices.
By Daniela Vargas ·
Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares has gone to court to press a Richmond market to take part in an investigation into possible price gouging during the city's water crisis in January.
The petition was filed Monday, May 19, in Richmond Circuit Court. It asks a judge to compel Manchester Market, located on Hull Street, to comply with a civil investigation demand, known as a CID. The demand grew out of consumer complaints about how water was priced during the emergency.
According to Miyares' office, the market charged "unconscionable prices" for bottled water while the state of emergency was in effect. The office also says the business did not answer its requests for information.
The market's manager rejects the allegations. The manager says the store did not raise its prices at any point during the water crisis.
During a visit by CBS 6 on Monday, the manager also said the store sent three emails to the Attorney General's office on April 10, with the requested evidence attached. As of Monday, the manager said, no reply had come back from the office.
The Attorney General's office gave a different account of events. Spokesperson Shaun Kenney said an investigator with the office sent letters on January 27, 2025, and again on February 10, 2025, based on the complaints it had received. The letters told the recipient to contact the investigator and included his contact details. When neither letter drew a response, the office issued the CID on March 21, 2025.
Kenney said the CID directed the recipients to submit documentation by April 16, 2025, and listed contact information for any questions. "No response was ever sent to our Office," he said in the statement. He added that the email address CBS 6 had supplied belongs to an employee of the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, which he said is not involved in the investigation.
The dispute comes in a neighborhood where small markets carry added weight. A Manchester resident told CBS 6 that the area has few options for groceries. "One thing about Manchester is there's no grocery stores really," the resident said.
Originally published by News Media House · Source: CBS 6 WTVR
