As a federal investigation into Pilot Flying J continues, the president of the Knoxville-based chain of truck stops and another executive have left the company.
In an email to employees earlier this week, CEO Jimmy Haslam stated that company President Mark Hazelwood was no longer with Pilot, effective immediately.
"Please join me in thanking him for his many years of service," he wrote in the email, which was obtained by the Metro Pulse. "We wish him the best of luck in his future endeavors."
Gordon Ball, an attorney for Hazelwood, declined on Monday to confirm the report, or to comment on it.
According to a source close to Pilot, Scott Wombold also is no longer with the company, as of Monday.
The April 2013 affidavit identified Wombold as vice president of national accounts, reporting to Hazelwood, although his most recent title is unclear.
An attorney for Wombold could not be reached for comment.
In April 2013, federal agents raided Pilot's headquarters, seeking information about an alleged scheme to defraud trucking customers of diesel fuel rebates. Ten employees subsequently pleaded guilty to charges in connection with the case, and a criminal probe is ongoing.
Shortly after the raid, prosecutors released an FBI affidavit which said a confidential informant that worked at Pilot had told the FBI that rebate fraud occurred at the company with the knowledge of Haslam and Hazelwood.
In transcripts of secretly recorded conversations that were part of the affidavit, Hazelwood appeared twice, including a meeting at which company officials -- according to the affidavit -- discussed the potential for a two-tiered pricing structure that would have imposed higher prices on less-sophisticated customers.
Haslam has denied knowledge of any fraudulent activity at the company.
Attorneys for Haslam and Hazelwood in January told the Cleveland Plain Dealer that neither man has received a "target letter" that federal prosecutors send to inform people they are the target of an investigation.
Copyright 2014 - The Knoxville News-Sentinel, Tenn.
