NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — A third employee of the truck stop chain owned by the Cleveland Browns owner and Tennessee’s governor has pleaded guilty in what authorities call a scheme to cheat trucking firms out of rebates.
Regional sales manager Kevin Clark pleaded guilty to mail fraud Tuesday in federal court in Knoxville. Court records state he conspired with others in Pilot Flying J’s sales division to short-change trucking companies by thousands of dollars between 2009 and this spring.
Like two other employees previously did, Clark pleaded guilty in an arrangement called an information rather than an indictment. That indicates he’s cooperating with investigators.
Pilot Flying J is run by Browns owner Jimmy Haslam, the brother of Gov. Bill Haslam. Jimmy Haslam has denied wrongdoing. The governor maintains he is not involved with operating the company.
