Pilot Flying J CEO Haslam Speaks Publicly Following Raid
About 24 hours after a raid by federal officials on the Knoxville, Tenn., headquarters of Pilot Flying J, CEO Jimmy Haslem talked with reporters, saying he was “shocked” by what’s happening, but is confident things will work out in favor of the company.
About 24 hours after a raid by federal officials on the Knoxville, Tenn., headquarters of Pilot Flying J, CEO Jimmy Haslam talked with reporters this afternoon, saying he was “shocked” by what’s happening, but is confident things will work out in favor of the company.
He says the investigation by FBI and IRS representatives is based on claims that the company failed to pay the fuel rebates of some of its trucking customers. “It does not involve any tax issues,” he said. “To my knowledge, there was no evasion of state or federal taxes involved.”
Pilot Flying J disagrees about the accusations, said Haslam, who also said the claims are based on what he says is an “insignificant” number of customers. He did not know the exact number.
He did say the some of the company’s 23 sales people have been subpoenaed following warrants executed since yesterday, but did not say who they are, nor did he say he knew what documents agents from the FBI and IRS have taken from the company’s premises.
Haslam also told reporters the investigation is criminal rather than civil.
The Associated Press reports a total of four warrants have been served on Pilot Flying J, but reasons for them have been sealed by a federal court. Earlier the company said in a statement two warrants had been served. The U.S. Attorney’s Office won’t say where two of the them were served.
No arrests have been made as a result of the raid and warrants. All of the company’s more than 600 truckstops remain open and employees at headquarters, Haslem said, showed up for work as normal.
Jimmy Haslam is also the owner of NFL’s Cleveland Brown football team, which he purchased last year after stepping down as CEO, later returning to the position. He is also the brother of Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslem, who earlier today told reports he was unaware of the reasons behind the investigation. Gov. Haslem says he has not been involved in the operations of Pilot Flying J in 15 years, through does hold an unspecified stake in the company that is in a blind trust.
You can view the entire press conference with Jimm Haslam from the WBIR-TV website.
More Drivers

FDA Eases Path for Oral-Fluid Testing
Federal actions could advance oral-fluid drug testing for truck drivers, but lab certification delays and marijuana rescheduling questions remain.
Read More →
Why Hiring Truck Drivers Is Getting Harder
Higher recruiting costs, a shrinking driver pool, and renewed pay competition are raising the stakes for fleets heading into 2027.
Read More →
Roehl Offers Truck Drivers $10,000 Retention Incentive
Payments begin after the first load and continue in mileage-based installments for eligible experienced drivers joining the fleet.
Read More →
Platform Science Adds Dispatch and Safety Tools
Four additions to PS Fleet help fleets monitor loads, manage driver coaching, share truck locations and adjust video system settings.
Read More →
When Language Stops the Truck: The Return of ELP Out-of-Service Orders
English language proficiency rules for commercial drivers aren’t new, but renewed out-of-service enforcement has raised the stakes. Here’s what carriers need to know before a driver reaches a roadside inspection.
Read More →
Samsara Launches Custom AI Agent Builder
Agent Studio lets fleets create AI tools for hours-of-service monitoring, reporting and driver support, including agents that communicate by phone.
Read More →
Trucker Path Expands Reserved Parking Network
Trucker Path has added close to 6,000 more truck parking spaces to its Trucker Path Reserved Parking Network with the addition of Safe Truck Parking.
Read More →
EEOC Sues Texas Trucking Company Over Driver Age Limits
The agency says Trancasa USA rejected applicants over 65 and applied tougher driving-record standards to those over 60.
Read More →
Nussbaum, Roehl Announce Second Driver Pay Increase This Year
This year has seen a swath of major truck driver pay increases as freight capacity has tightened.
Read More →
From One Generation to the Next: How Mentorship Builds Safer Truck Drivers
After three decades in trucking, Harold Perry shares what he's learned about driver safety, mentorship, and helping the next generation build confidence behind the wheel.
Read More →
