Mansfield Oil Company of Gainesville filed a lawsuit on August 19 accusing KRSM Inc. and its president, Syed Kazmi, of taking roughly 1.1 million gallons of gasoline between May 21 and July 7 without paying for the fuel. The company estimates the unpaid gasoline is worth more than $3,998,000.
Allegations and legal claims
The complaint states that KRSM purchased the fuel at Mansfield’s Twin Oaks Terminal and then sold portions of it to stations that belong to the Freedom Fuel Network. The suit contends that KRSM was able to market gasoline at unusually low prices because it never settled the invoices owed to Mansfield. Mansfield says a data error delayed the original invoicing until early July, after which revised invoices were sent and the company announced it would begin withdrawing payment from KRSM’s bank account on July 27.
Under the parties’ agreement, KRSM was required to remit payment within ten days of receiving an invoice. Mansfield attempted to collect the funds on July 27 and July 28, but the drafts were refused by KRSM’s bank, according to the filing. Phone conversations in late July and early August show Kazmi promising to pay, yet as of August 17, 2026, Mansfield had not received any payment for the 150 loads of fuel referenced in the suit.
Trump administration and Freedom Fuel Network
The Freedom Fuel Network, a private chain with 29 locations in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, was highlighted by the Trump administration earlier this year as a source of low‑cost gasoline. In a Truth Social post made just days before the Fourth of July weekend, President Donald Trump praised a “very smart retailer” operating in the Northeast and suggested that gas prices would soon return to the record lows seen before the United States’ “excursion” in Iran. The network advertised gasoline at $3.47 per gallon in July, a price that stood out amid higher oil costs linked to the war with Iran and a busy summer travel season.
A White House official later clarified that the administration had no direct contact or dealings with KRSM Inc. or Syed Kazmi. A source familiar with the Freedom Fuel business also indicated that KRSM and Kazmi are not associated with the Freedom Fuel Network in any capacity.
Mansfield’s billing dispute and current fuel market
KRSM’s legal counsel, Mauro Tucci, responded that the lawsuit reflects an accounting dispute over mis‑priced fuel invoices rather than theft. He emphasized that KRSM disputes the allegations and is working to resolve the billing issues.
Meanwhile, gasoline prices have continued to rise. The American Automobile Association reported that, for the first time, the national average price in August has remained above $4 per gallon every day, with the average reaching $4.08 on the most recent Sunday. Industry observers attribute the upward pressure to stalled peace talks between the United States and Iran.
The lawsuit adds a legal dimension to the political spotlight that the Freedom Fuel Network received earlier this year, highlighting the complexities of fuel pricing, supply agreements, and the interplay between private retailers and public statements from the White House.
Mitchell Landsberg is the senior reporter for News Raise and focuses on Technology. Mitchell regularly writes about social media platforms and how influencers, industry and general people use them to communicate and make money.
