Eight High-Ranking Pilot Flying J Employees Indicted

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Former Pilot Flying J President Mark Hazelwood was among eight high-ranking company executives indicted Tuesday in connection with an alleged fuel rebate scheme.

Under the indictment, released publicly Tuesday in the U.S. District Court in Knoxville, Hazelwood faces charges of conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud, as well as witness tampering. He pleaded not guilty during a Tuesday court appearance, reported WBIR-TV.

The other seven defendants indicted were Scott Wombold, John Freeman, Vicki Borden, John Spiewak, Katy Bibbe, Heather Jones and Karen Mann, all of whom worked at Pilot Flying J at one time, reported The Tennessean.

All eight are accused of participating in a “scheme and artifice to defraud certain interstate trucking companies, and for obtaining money from certain interstate trucking companies by means of materially false and fraudulent pretenses, representatives and promises.”

Federal authorities argue Pilot promised rebates to trucking customers, but never actually paid them out, resulting in defrauding customers of more than $56 million, the news outlet reported.

Ten former Pilot Flying J employees have previously plead guilty to charges related to the alleged rebate scheme.

Pilot Flying J owner and CEO Jimmy Haslam was not indicted. He has repeatedly denied any knowledge of illegal activity.

Knoxville-based Pilot Flying J has 650 retail locations throughout North America.