Designer of the scam set to testify against former Pilot Flying J President Mark Hazelwood.
Four more former Pilot Flying J employees on Monday agreed to take plea deals, including one ex-employee the FBI calls “the architect” of the fuel rebate scam—Pilot Flying J’s former vice president of sales, John “Stick” Freeman.
The four latest plea deals brings the number of Pilot Flying J sales staff and executives who have agreed to confess and share information to 14.
The Knoxville News Sentinel named John Spiewak, a regional sales manager for Pilot Flying J; Vicki Borden, director of direct sales; and Katy Bibee, an account representative who worked directly with Freeman, as the other three employees.
According to the Knoxville News Sentinel, Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lewen and Hamilton are reportedly looking to show that former Pilot Flying J President Mark Hazelwood not only knew about the rebate scheme, but was looking to expand it.
Pilot Flying J CEO Jimmy Haslam has not been charged, however, the FBI indicated in testimony and court records he was a suspect. Haslam denies any knowledge of the scheme.
Hazelwood will stand trial with the remaining Pilot Flying J employees charged in the conspiracy, including former vice president of direct sales Scott Wombold and staffers Heather Jones and Karen Mann. The trial is set to begin Oct. 31.
On Monday, Pilot Flying J issued a statement saying it was “saddened by the news” of more guilty pleas in the case, and said it “made whole every customer negatively affected.”
“It is Pilot Flying J’s commitment to be a great partner to trucking companies across North America, always focusing our undivided attention on the best interests of our customers, team members and business,” the company said in a statement.