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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. Kd Shoes Clearance . 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. Cheap Kd Shoes . Carling Bassett-Seguso was a world No. 8 almost 30 years ago. Currently 13th, Bouchard is assured of equalling that when the next rankings are released Monday. Kevin Durant Shoes Wholesale . - The Detroit Lions have placed tight end Brandon Pettigrew on injured reserve, ending his season. http://www.cheapkdshoes.net/ . According to bodog.ca, Cleveland moved up to grab the best odds to win the Larry OBrian trophy at 4-1 on Friday. By comparison, the Miami Heats odds plummeted from 3-1 favourites before LeBron left, to 50-1. NEW YORK -- The only thing Jenrry Mejia popped Monday night was his fastball. Showing off a sizzling heater with wicked movement, Mejia pitched four-hit ball into the seventh inning and led the New York Mets over the St. Louis Cardinals 2-0. Mejia (3-0) bounced back well from a torn blister on his right middle finger that limited him to five innings in his last start. The 24-year-old righty began the game by getting Matt Carpenter to look at three straight strikes, and rarely was in trouble. "Coming off the blister ... we werent sure what he was going to give us," Mets manager Terry Collins said. "He gave us more than we expected, for sure." David Wright lined an early RBI single that extended his hitting streak to 12 games and Kyle Farnsworth earned his first save as the New Yorks newest closer. On an evening when the Mets debuted new camouflage tops to salute the military, they looked sharp, particularly on a double play started by shortstop Ruben Tejada. The Cardinals lost for the third time in four games. "Their shortstop kind of stopped any kind of rally from happening," Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said. "Being frustrated, I dont think theres anything wrong with that," he said after the NL champions were shut out for the third time this year. "I think the bigger story is that our offence will get going on a consistent basis." Mejia struck out seven in 6 2-3 innings and walked three. He stretched his scoreless streak to 13 2-3 innings. Mejia said the blister was hardly a concern. The St. Louis hitters were the ones having trouble, not him. "They know my fastball moves," he said. Scott Rice and Carlos Torres each got two outs before Farnsworth, the Mets third closer this year, pitched the ninth for his first save. Farnsworth inherited the role after Bobby Parnell needed Tommy John surgery and Jose Valverde struggled. Farnsworth had two saves last season for Pittsburgh. Tyler Lyons (0-1) lost in his first major league game of the season. Promoted from Triple-A Memphis earrlier in the day to take the rotation spot of injured Joe Kelly, he allowed two runs and six hits in six innings. Kd Shoes On Sale. A 26-year-old lefty with a big-breaking slider, Lyons struck out seven. Hes another in the long line of tall, homegrown pitchers developed by the Cardinals, and went 2-4 last year in his first big league season. Lyons struck out the first two batters in the third before Eric Young Jr. singled for the Mets first hit. Slumping Curtis Granderson was hit by a pitch and Wright singled for a 1-0 lead. Lyons throwing error on a tapper set up another run in the sixth. Daniel Murphy walked, later stole third and scored on a single by Travis dArnaud. Mejia escaped his biggest jam in the sixth when, with runners at the corners and one out, he retired Matt Holliday on a popup and Matt Adams on a grounder. The previous inning, the Mets backed Mejia with a sweet double play. Tejada dived to stop Jon Jays grounder up the middle and flipped to Murphy, and the second baseman made a barehanded catch and spun quickly for the relay. "Tremendous double play," Collins praised. NOTES: Wright has eight hits in his last three games. He has eight RBIs in eight games. ... Murphy has been safe on 25 straight steal tries. ... Cardinals C Yadier Molina stretched his hitting streak to 12 games. ... Granderson struck out three times. Hes hitless in his last 19 at-bats and is in a 4-for-47 slump that includes 17 strikeouts. ... St. Louis SS Jhonny Peralta was hitless in three at-bats and is in an 0-for-15 rut. ... The Mets promoted 40-year-old OF Bobby Abreu from Triple-A. He didnt get into the game. ... St. Louis RHP Eric Fornataro made his major league debut and pitched a perfect eighth. Molina waited outside the dugout to pat him on the head. ... Cardinals RHP Adam Wainwright (3-1, 1.80) starts Tuesday night against RHP Dillon Gee (1-0, 3.71). ... Kelly strained his left hamstring trying to beat out a bunt last week and was put on the 15-day disabled list. ... The Mets have thrown three shutouts this season. ' ' '