CEO Of Georgia HVAC Company Charged With Illegally Importing HFCs

The chief executive officer of a Georgia-based HVAC company has been charged with illegally importing 500 cylinders of potent greenhouse gases known as hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) into the United States from Peru, U.S. Attorney John Giordano has announced.

This case is the second prosecution in the United States under the AIM Act, and the first prosecution of a corporate executive.

The 57-year-old man is charged with violating the American Innovation and Manufacturing Act (AIM Act) by importing Freon. The global warming impact of an HFC can be hundreds to thousands of times greater than carbon dioxide. In 2020, Congress passed the AIM Act, which authorizes the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to phase down the production and consumption of HFCs by 85 percent over time.

A San Diego man pleaded guilty in federal court last year to illegally importing potent HFCs into the United States from Mexico and sell them for a profit.

The Georgia man faces a maximum potential penalty of 5 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.