Matty Moroun facing hefty fines in new gas lawsuit

(WXYZ) - The billionaire owner of the Ambassador Bridge could be paying hefty fines to the state. This time it is a lawsuit by the State Agriculture Department over alleged bad gas that was sold at the plaza at the foot of the bridge to Canada.

Matty Moroun's company called Ammex is accused of selling gas that did not meet summer standards for lower emissions and 93 octane premium gas tested as low as 91.2 octane, meaning customers did not get what they were paying for. The lawsuit says the owners failed to comply to standards, ignored orders to stop selling gas and ignored a request to settle out of court. The maximum fines could be $12,000 a day for 82 days.

Matty Moroun went to jail for a nightwhen he stubbornly refused to follow court orders and finish freeway ramps to his bridge.

Moroun is behind Proposal 6, asking voters to approve blocking a new government bridge from Detroit to Windsor, Canada.

State Agriculture Director Jamie Clover Adams tells 7 Action News, "This is not political. This is about leveling the playing field. There are 1952 other gas stations in that area that follow the rules."