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Indianapolis • Cleveland Browns owner Jimmy Haslam says he was "absolutely not" aware of and did not participate in the practices that led to the federal investigation into his Pilot Flying J company.
"I take responsibility for what happens at PFJ as the guy at the top of the shop, but I was absolutely not aware of any of this," Haslam said. "As soon as we found out there was an issue, we immediately began taking an aggressive stance in finding out what happened, No. 1, and righting the ship, No. 2."
Federal investigators allege that Pilot, a truck-stop chain that is the nation's largest diesel fuel retailer, deliberately withheld rebates from trucking companies to boost profits. The owner, who bought the team last year, met with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell in April. The league has not announced any disciplinary actions.
Haslam was in Indianapolis to speak at a transportation seminar. This was his first public question and answer session since the FBI raided company headquarters April 15. Haslam answered predetermined questions asked by former Kansas governor and American Trucking Associations president Bill Graves.
Later in the day he was back in Ohio, attending Browns workouts at the team's training facility in Berea.