The massive truck-stop chain owned by the family of Tennessee’s governor is facing a criminal investigation, and it’s not about taxes. That’s the word out today from Pilot Flying J CEO Jimmy Haslam, following a raid on the company’s Knoxville headquarters by the FBI and IRS.
Details of the allegations are scarce. Governor Bill Haslam said earlier not even he knew what the raid was about. Now his brother Jimmy says it has to do with rebates allegedly owed to a quote “very insignificant” group of customers.
At a press conference streamed by Knoxville’s WBIR, he said he’s not sure what federal officials were looking for, what they took, or why the IRS took part.
“It does not involve – as best we can tell, let me say that, and we’re pretty sure we’re right – any kind of tax issue.”
Forbes magazine ranks Pilot Flying J among the most valued private companies in the country, with sales close to $30 billion. Jimmy Haslam also owns the Cleveland Browns, and apologized for any blemish on the city or the franchise.
On Air - 90.3 WPLN-FM