Today, the FBI and members of the Knoxville Police Department raided the Pilot Flying J corporate campus in Knoxville, Tennessee.
The campus was placed on lock down while the FBI executed a search warrant. The media were barred from entering the Pilot campus, but employees could be seen being escorted off the property by FBI agents.
The FBI is not releasing any details about what prompted the raid.
Pilot Flying J is remaining tight lipped, as well, but a Lauren Christ of Moxley Carmichael public relations firm released this statement:
As of the afternoon of April 15, FBI officials have sequestered the Pilot Flying J headquarters on Lonas Drive in Knoxville.
At this time, we do not know the nature of the situation. Pilot Flying J is cooperating fully with the authorities.
Pilot Food Marts, Pilot Travel Centers and Flying J Travel Plazas remain open and continue to serve the public.
Pilot Flying J is confident that the matter will be resolved fully.
According to News Net 5, the Knoxville Police Department aided the FBI in the raid.
“All I can say is that the FBI asked us to have some officers assist them with a search warrant,” Police Chief David Rausch told News Net 5.
Rausch told the news station that he did not have advance warning about the location of the search or why it was being executed.
Pilot Flying J is listed as the 6th largest private corporation by Forbes and is the largest network of truck stops.
Source: News Now 5