The Haslam family that owns the NFL’s Cleveland Browns is facing allegations of bribery.
Per a report from WKYC in Cleveland, Warren Buffet’s Berkshire Hathaway holding company is accusing the Haslam family of attempted bribery to more than a half-dozen executives for Pilot, one of North America’s largest truck stop chain:
“Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway says the billionaire Haslam family tried to bribe at least 15 executives at the Pilot truck stop chain with millions of dollars to get them to inflate the company’s profits this year because that would force Berkshire to pay more for the Haslams’ remaining 20% stake in the company.
The Berkshire claim in a counter lawsuit filed this week comes after the Haslam family — which includes Cleveland Browns owner Jimmy Haslam and former Tennessee governor Bill Haslam — accused Berkshire of trying to understate Pilot’s earnings this year by changing its accounting practices.”
The report noted that Jimmy Haslam is accused of paying lucrative bonuses to executives worth more than their annual salaies. Berkshire’s Hathaway lawsuit will be heard on Thursday, WKYC added.
Jimmy’s father, Jim Haslam, is the founder of Pilot. Jimmy himself serves as the chairman for the company that opened its doors back in 1981.
In 2012, Haslam purchased the Cleveland Browns franchise for $1 billion. The first eight years of his ownership left a lot to be desired, as the Browns failed to record a single winning season in that period.
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The Browns went a league-worst 1-15 in 2016 and managed to go 0-16 in 2017, joining the 2008 Detroit Lions as the only NFL teams to go winless in a 16-game regular season.
Cleveland qualified for the postseason in 2020 with an 11-5 record, and they stunned the Pittsburgh Steelers in the Wild Card Round for the franchise’s first playoff victory since the 1994 campaign.
Despite a revolving door at quarterback, the Browns enter Week 13 with a 7-4 record and remain very much alive in the race for the AFC North division crown.
