Pilot Flying J Accused of Fraud Beyond Rebate Issue

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — The alleged fraud conducted by Pilot Flying J against several trucking companies may extend beyond fuel rebates.

As CSNews Online previously reported, the FBI raided the travel center operator's Knoxville headquarters in April 2013, alleging Pilot Flying J perpetrated rebate fraud. Many lawsuits filed by the company's customers followed, several of which were subsequently settled. However, a handful of companies that refused to settle their lawsuits have allegedly uncovered another deception that was overlooked by others.

According to The Associated Press, trucking companies agreed to buy fuel from Pilot in return for special rates, which were represented as "cost" plus a few cents. But four companies currently suing Pilot Flying J say they were led to believe that "cost" was Pilot Flying J's actual fuel cost, when in fact, the figure was actually based on an industry average.

Pilot Flying J attorney Aubrey Harwell, senior partner at Nashville, Tenn.-based Neal & Harwell, responded that the retailer was transparent about the way it calculated cost and the average used is an industry standard.

Knoxville-based Pilot Flying J operates more than 650 travel center locations.