Erfahrungen... » t was discussed openly at sales meetings where bo

NASHVILLE -- With a year-long federal fraud investigation looming over it, the huge truck-stop chain owned by the family of the Cleveland Browns owner and Tennessees governor is doing some housecleaning at its highest levels. Several top executives at Pilot Flying J, including the president, abruptly left this week, more than a year after FBI agents raided the Knoxville, Tennessee, headquarters of the nations largest diesel retailer. Ten former employees have previously pleaded guilty to helping cheat trucking companies out of promised rebates and discounts. Those cases and this weeks departures, observers note, could indicate that prosecutors are entering the final phase of a methodical probe that has included records suggesting Pilot CEO and Browns owner Jimmy Haslam knew of the scheme, something he denies. One expert said Haslam might be cutting ties with his senior staff in a bid to persuade prosecutors not to charge the company his father founded decades ago, one in which his brother, Gov. Bill Haslam, still holds an undisclosed stake. Pilot President Mark Hazelwood and Scott "Scooter" Wombold, vice-president of national accounts, left the company Monday, with Haslam sending a company-wide email thanking Hazelwood for his service but saying nothing about why or how he was leaving. Tuesday saw the departure of five more members of the sales team. Dennis B. Francis, a Knoxville attorney who has worked in federal criminal defence for 40 years, said the only way this weeks departures make sense to him is if some of the people leaving are co-operating with prosecutors. For a defendant to get a lighter sentence than federal guidelines mandate, prosecutors have to file court papers saying that person provided substantial assistance to the government. Once prosecutors have the evidence they need to convict, they no longer offer any promises of special consideration. "They call it getting on the bus," said Francis, who is not involved in the Pilot case. "And theres only so much room on the bus." Wombolds attorney, John E. Kelly, said in an email that his client had been "helping the company repair many customer relationships during the past 14 months. Mr. Wombolds departure from the company is not connected to past guilty pleas entered into by former employees, and any inference that there is a connection is not accurate." Hazelwoods attorney declined to comment. Company representatives said they couldnt comment on specific personnel moves, which took place while Jimmy Haslam was meeting with fellow NFL owners in Atlanta. "Nothing more should be read into the events of this week than things playing themselves out," spokesman Tom Ingram said Wednesday. "Otherwise, the company continues to go full steam ahead and business as usual, and is doing very well." Jimmy Haslam has denied any previous knowledge of the fraud or any personal wrongdoing. The governor has said he is not involved with operating Pilot Flying J. Pilot agreed in November to pay out nearly $85 million to settle claims in a class-action lawsuit with 5,500 trucking companies. Several companies have filed separate lawsuits against Pilot that are ongoing. Nashville criminal defence attorney and former prosecutor David Raybin said that, based on his observations and experience, the departure of so many managers at once indicates that criminal charges could soon be filed. And he suggested that prosecutors are aiming high. "You dont make a bunch of people plead guilty at the lower levels and then let the top people off with a fine," said Raybin, who does not represent anyone in the case. "Theyre potentially jailing five to 10 people. You dont do that unless you are targeting the highest levels of the company." An affidavit filed last year to obtain a search warrant for Pilot headquarters states that a confidential informant told the FBI that both Hazelwood and Jimmy Haslam knew about the fraud at the company because it was discussed openly at sales meetings where both were present. Randall Eliason, a former federal prosecutor who teaches at George Washington University Law School, said that while the sudden departures are unusual, they could mean any number of things. For example, Pilot might be fearful that the company could be charged criminally, or the companys board of directors may have decided that the people who have left recently were partly responsible for what happened. "One reason the company might fire them is to say, Look, were cleaning house. Were getting rid of the bad people, so dont indict the corporation," Eliason said. Hugo Ayala Jersey . Leaning forward with both hands on his knees, Buffon appeared to be resting or somehow trying to withstand the rain. Or perhaps the 36-year-old goalkeeper and Italy captain was reflecting on this: He is only the third player in history to be part of five World Cup squads, along with Germany great Lothar Matthaus and former Mexico goalkeeper Antonio Carbajal. Carlos Salcedo Jersey . Three pitches later, he was hugging Mike Napoli at home plate after his teammates winning home run. Napoli and Ortiz hit consecutive homers with one out in the 10th inning and the Boston Red Sox rallied past Minnesota 2-1 Wednesday, sending the Twins to their fifth straight loss. http://www.nationalsoccermexico.com/jose...-mexico-jersey/. Cleveland has won the first two of this set and has won six straight games since losing back-to-back tilts to open the year. Seattle, on the other hand, has now lost six in a row following consecutive wins to kick off its campaign. Miguel Layun Mexico Jersey . The San Antonio Spurs handled the conditions, and the team, and it sure helped when a suffering LeBron James couldnt make it to the finish. Carlos Salcedo Mexico Jersey . -- The Windsor Spitfires were left with just one goaltender Tuesday after having their starter walk out on them midway through Game 3 of their Ontario Hockey League playoff matchup with the London Knights.SAN JOSE, Calif. - Jay Harrison scored with 41.2 seconds remaining in overtime and the Carolina Hurricanes won for the first time since the Olympic break, 3-2 over the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday night. Jiri Tlusty and Elias Lindholm also scored for the Hurricanes, who lost the first four games since the Olympics before capping their five-game road trip with a win. Carolina also lost its final game before the break and has fallen to 13th place in the Eastern Conference — six points out of the final playoff spot. Anton Khudobin made 35 saves to earn the win just hours after signing a two-year, $4.5 million contract extension. Marty Havlat and Brent Burns scored for the Sharks, who lost in their first home game since Feb. 7. Alex Stalock made 32 saves in his first back-to-back starts of the season. Both teams had chances early in overtime before the Hurricanes capitalized in the final minute on a scramble in front of Stalock. Lindholm took possession of a blocked shot and slid a backhand pass through the crease to Harrison, who knocked in the winner for Carolinas fourth straight victory in this series. The Hurricanes tied the game early in the second period when Eric Staal found Lindholm alone in the slot with a pass from behind the net for a one-timer. The Sharks kept the puckk in Carolinas defensive zone for much of the second half of the period but couldnt generate many quality scoring chances, and the game remained tied heading into the third.dddddddddddd Carolina struck first when Tlusty took a pass from Alexander Semin, split defenceman Jason Demers and Scott Hannan and skated in alone on Stalock before beating him with a backhand shot. Scoring first has been a good omen this season for the Hurricanes, who have won more than three-quarters of their games after getting the opening goal. But this lead was short-lived when Khudobin allowed a big rebound on a shot by Tyler Kennedy. Havlat knocked it in while falling to the ice for the equalizer. The Sharks took advantage of another misplay from Khudobin to take the lead with 28 seconds left in the period. James Sheppard took the puck away from the goalie behind the net and sent a backhand pass in the slot to Raffi Torres, who teed up Burns for his first goal in 20 games to make it 2-1. NOTES: Carolina D Andrej Sekera had two assists and has points in all five games since the Olympic break. ... The Hurricanes were without D Justin Faulk, who suffered an upper-body injury on Sunday in Anaheim. ... The Sharks honoured their four Olympians with a video board tribute in the first period. 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