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Supplier sues over $4 million in unpaid fuel tied to Trump-praised stations

Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaPublished 31 Aug 2026

Mansfield Oil says KRSM took more than a million gallons from a Pennsylvania terminal and never paid. KRSM calls it an invoice dispute. The White House says it had no dealings with the company.

Mansfield Oil of Gainesville sued KRSM Inc. and president Syed Kazmi on Aug. 19 in Philadelphia federal court, alleging they took about 1.1 million gallons of fuel worth nearly $4 million from the Twin Oaks terminal between May 21 and July 7 and never paid. The complaint says some fuel went to Freedom Fuel Network stations Trump promoted in July for $3.47-a-gallon prices. A judge ordered KRSM to keep at least $2.75 million in a bank account. Lawyer Mauro Tucci called the case an accounting dispute over mis-priced invoices. The White House said it had zero contact with KRSM or Kazmi.

Shared facts

Mansfield Oil sued KRSM Inc. and its president, Syed Kazmi, over unpaid fuel.

The lawsuit was filed on Aug. 19.

The suit was filed in U.S. District Court in Philadelphia, in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

Mansfield Oil is based in Gainesville, Georgia.

Syed Kazmi is president of KRSM.

Mansfield alleges KRSM obtained about 1.1 million gallons of fuel between May 21 and July 7.

Mansfield says the fuel was worth about $4 million, or $3,998,868.46.

Mansfield says that was about 150 loads of fuel.

The fuel was lifted from the Twin Oaks terminal in Aston, Delaware County, Pennsylvania.

The suit says KRSM sold some of the fuel to Freedom Fuel Network stations.

Mansfield says it has not been paid for the fuel.

The lawsuit says KRSM was able to sell the fuel so cheaply and get publicity because it never paid Mansfield.

Mansfield said a data error or other trouble delayed invoices to KRSM until July.

The contract required KRSM to pay within 10 days of receiving an invoice.

Mansfield said that as of Aug. 17 it had still received no payment.

President Trump praised Freedom Fuel in July for discounted pump prices.

Freedom Fuel sold gas at $3.47 a gallon in early July, a nod to Trump as the 47th president.

Trump said a very smart retailer in the Northeast was stepping up.

Trump said they were doing it because they love the U.S.A.

Trump said gas prices would soon be back to record lows Americans saw before the Iran war.

Fuel prices had been rising amid the U.S. war with Iran.

A judge ordered the defendants to keep at least $2.75 million in a bank account.

KRSM lawyer Mauro Tucci called the case an accounting dispute over fuel invoices he said Mansfield mis-priced.

Tucci said KRSM would not comment further on the pending litigation.

The White House said the administration had zero contact or dealings with KRSM or Syed Kazmi.

Freedom Fuel Network has 29 locations in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

Petroleum Marketing Group accused the brothers of stealing thousands of gallons of gas in an earlier case.

The White House and coverage describe Freedom Fuel Network as a private company.

The Guardian

Discount gas stations praised by Trump sold $4m of stolen fuel, lawsuit claims

Coral Murphy Marcos

Published 30 Aug 2026 accessed 31 Aug 2026

Facts

A source familiar with Freedom Fuel said KRSM and Syed Kazmi are not associated with the network in any capacity.

The lawsuit says KRSM’s bank refused Mansfield’s drafts on July 27 and 28.

Mansfield later sent KRSM revised invoices and said it would start withdrawing payment on July 27.

The suit says Kazmi told Mansfield on calls from late July to early August that he would pay for the fuel.

The Guardian said August gas prices kept climbing as U.S.-Iran peace talks stalled.

AAA said the national average in August had been above $4 a gallon every day for the first time.

The national average for a gallon of gas stood at $4.08 on Sunday.

Opinion

No opinion marked.

CNBC

Trump-promoted Freedom Fuel stations sold gas a distributor says went unpaid for

Ryan Ermey

Published 30 Aug 2026 accessed 31 Aug 2026

Facts

The fuel came from a Pennsylvania supply terminal.

The suit does not name Freedom Fuel Network as a defendant or accuse the company of wrongdoing.

The discount was at 25 stations in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

Trump said this retailer was taking the lead and others should follow.

The suit does not specify how much of the $4 million in gas went to Freedom Fuel stations or whether those stations have a relationship with KRSM or Kazmi.

Politico reported that at least six New Jersey Freedom Fuel locations are managed by Shamikh Kazmi, Syed Kazmi’s brother.

Opinion

No opinion marked.

NBC Philadelphia

Freedom Fuel owner didn't pay for nearly $4 million in gas, lawsuit claims

NBC10 Philadelphia

Published 29 Aug 2026 accessed 31 Aug 2026

Facts

KRSM is a foreign corporation with a principal address in Lawrenceville, New Jersey.

The AP reported Kazmi had previously been ordered to pay civil damages for unlawfully taking more than 200,000 gallons of fuel.

In February a federal judge in New Jersey ordered the Kazmis to pay over $600,000 to a fuel supplier.

The AP reported 14 Freedom Fuel stations are owned by companies linked to Syed and Shamikh Kazmi.

The supplier’s filings say tanker trucks took more than 230,000 gallons over 10 days in August 2021.

A judge found the brothers unlawfully took that gas.

The supplier said the Kazmis exploited a security lapse and reached its fuel depot.

That supplier said it cut the brothers off after they refused to sign a new contract.

NBC10 reported Freedom Fuel has a web of owners under a Delaware LLC.

The White House posted a video of patrons thanking Trump at the first Freedom Fuel station.

Freedom Fuel’s website said the company answered Trump’s call to lower prices at the pump.

Freedom Fuel’s website said stations averaged sales increases of more than 50% after launch.

Opinion

No opinion marked.

The Philadelphia Inquirer

Some Freedom Fuel stations have been able to sell gas cheaply because some fuel wasn’t paid for, a lawsuit claims

Frank Kummer | Rob Tornoe

Published 29 Aug 2026 accessed 31 Aug 2026

Facts

The suit does not specify which Freedom Fuel locations sold the Mansfield gas.

Syed Kazmi and brother Shamikh Kazmi are linked to at least eight of Freedom Fuel’s 29 locations.

The White House promoted Freedom Fuel when its first location opened in July on Dreshertown Road in Upper Dublin Township.

The Inquirer reported six of the network’s New Jersey stations had environmental violations dating to 2023.

The suit cites breach of contract and five other counts seeking $4 million plus interest and attorney costs.

Unpaid balances faced 1.5% interest per month.

The White House said it is not involved in Freedom Fuel’s operation and has not provided subsidies.

One Philadelphia station was nearly shut down after it failed a license renewal inspection.

Freedom Fuel first launched with prices 40 to 50 cents a gallon cheaper than nearby stations.

The Kazmi brothers were in a 2021 trademark dispute with BP.

The spokesperson said Freedom Fuel is not purchasing gasoline at a discount.

Freedom Fuel prices have since risen closer to other discount chains.

The spokesperson said the stations were lowering costs to make gas more affordable in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

Ravens assistant coach Randy Brown and former trader Yoni Gontownik signed Freedom Fuel’s Delaware certificate of formation.

Brown and Gontownik have not spoken publicly about the enterprise.

Opinion

The Inquirer said the discount confounded experts and angered competitors because of an apparent White House connection.