California Drivers Receive $21.65 Settlement Over Gas Price Fixing
More than one million California drivers are receiving compensation following a legal settlement related to gasoline price manipulation after a 2015 refinery explosion.
According to a May 8 report by the L.A. Times, the California Department of Justice began issuing payments in late April. Each eligible claimant is receiving $21.65, disbursed via check, direct deposit, or Venmo, depending on their selected payment method during the claims process.
The settlement stems from a lawsuit involving three oil trading companies—Vitol, SK Energy Americas, and South Korea’s
SK Trading International—that were accused of artificially inflating gasoline prices in the wake of the February 2015 explosion at the ExxonMobil refinery in Torrance.
The state alleged the companies exploited the resulting supply disruption to manipulate the Southern California gasoline market in violation of the Cartwright Act, California’s antitrust law.
In July 2023, the companies agreed to a $50 million settlement, with $37.5 million allocated for direct consumer payments.
Eligible recipients include individuals who purchased gasoline between February 2015 and 2016 at stations in ten Southern California counties, including Los Angeles and San Diego, and who submitted valid claims by January 8.
