‘Shark Tank’ Star Daymond John Accused Of Trying To Sell N95 Masks At Spiked Price, He Responds: “The Reports Are Inaccurate!”
‘Shark Tank’ Star Daymond John Accused Of Trying To Sell N95 Masks At Spiked Price, He Responds: ‘The Reports Are Inaccurate!’
This can’t be what FUBU Founder/”Shark Tank” star Daymond John meant by “for us, by us.” According to reports, Daymond John offered to be of service to the state of Florida last month regarding the COVID-19 pandemic – but his resources would come with an inflated price. He reportedly offered to help provide 1 million protective N95 masks for healthcare workers. But here’s the catch: they’d be listed at $7 per mask. They’re only worth $2 per mask.
Due to extreme need in Florida hot zones, Jared Moskowitz – the director of the Florida Department of Emergency Management – agreed that any price would be feasible. He told The Miami Herald that he blindly trusted Daymond John’s judgment:
“This was not somebody off the street, this was Daymond John. He came to me and said, ‘I’ve been in the clothing business. I have connections with factories in China.’”
But the state of Florida’s legal counsel’s eyebrows were reportedly raised when they were asked to sign a purchase order for an escrow agreement on March 25th instead of straight to the vendor in China. Ultimately, the deal fell through and wasn’t signed on April 13th.
But raking in money at Florida’s expense is the exact opposite of what Daymond John said he attempted to do, according to his official statement. He said:
“Today’s Miami Herald story and subsequent reports are false, inaccurate and shows a complete reckless disregard for the truth. Let me be clear: proper reporting would have shown I did not set any prices and that my team worked with the State of Florida…”
He continued:
“States were not setup to vet and operate global supply chains and sourcing. Many states were forced to blindly wire money to nefarious parties around the world and ultimately never received correct or safe product. My company was an intermediary to vet the numerous 3M distributors and to protect Florida taxpayers, while establishing escrow protections that allowed the State to conduct proper due diligence before finalizing its purchase of masks…The Miami Herald’s characterization of my work completely disregards this.”
What do you think about Daymond John’s statement? Let us know in the comments.
Written by Miata Shanay