A Pilot Flying J employee told investigators that CEO Jimmy Haslam, owner of the Cleveland Browns, knew about a rebate fraud at the truck stop chain his family owns, according to an FBI affidavit unsealed Thursday, according to ESPN.com. The 120-page document filed in federal court in Knoxville, where Pilot is based, alleges that members of the company's sales force preyed on smaller trucking companies by reducing the amount of rebates they were owed for buying certain amounts of fuel.
Special Agent Robert H. Root alleged that Pilot participated in a "conspiracy and scheme to defraud" attempting to withhold diesel fuel price rebates and discounts from Pilot customers. The affidavit was filed to secure the searc warrants used in Monday's raiod on the Pilot Flying J headquarters.
NFL spokesman Greg Aiello told the Cleveland Plain Dealer the league has no plans of asking Haslam to step down as the Browns owner during the investigation.
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