New Jersey Hotel Settles Sandy Price Gouging Claim

State authorities say a northern New Jersey hotel will pay $110,000 to resolve claims that the business gouged dozens of customers following Superstorm Sandy.

Acting Attorney General John Hoffman announced the settlement with the Comfort Suites hotel in Mahwah on Monday.

Authorities have said the hotel engaged in 473 instances of unlawful price gouging. In some instances, they say guests were charged as much as $100 more than would have been allowed under state law, which defines excessive price increases as more than 10 percent above normal rates.

The state has now resolved 22 of the 27 lawsuits it filed against businesses accused of price gouging during the state of emergency following Sandy, which hit the state in October 2012.

The hotel declined to comment on the settlement.