Earlier on Wednesday, we learned a limited portion of recordings containing a group of former Pilot Flying J executives using racial slurs and making disparaging remarks about the Cleveland Browns had been released in court, according to the Knoxville News Sentinel reporter Jamie Satterfield.
Per Satterfield, the executives, including former Pilot Flying J President Mark Hazelwood, who is currently standing trial on wire fraud and mail fraud conspiracy charges, could be heard listening to a country song by David Allen Coe titled "N---er F----r" while making racially charged statements.
Now, we have more information regarding what the former executives at Pilot Flying J, which is owned by Cleveland Browns owner Jimmy Haslam, were saying about Haslam's team.
While it's unclear who was making the statements, Satterfield told WKYC that the executives could be heard using racial slurs in reference to some of the Browns' African-American players and also mocked the fans of the Dawg Pound. Satterfield also previously reported the executives said the Browns "suck" and "would never make the Super Bowl.
Haslam was not present at the "rowdy" meeting played in the recordings, nor is he charged in the case, which came as the result of his company allegedly ripping off customers with phony rebates.
WATCH: Former prosecutor Dean Valore and journalist Afi Scruggs join Jim Donovan to analyze Wednesday's Pilot Flying J trial developments:
Fourteen former Pilot Flying J executives and direct sales staffers have pleaded guilty as a result of the alleged scheme, with two more being granted immunity. In 2014, Pilot's board confessed criminal responsibility to the scheme, with the company paying a $92 million penalty.
Pilot Flying J is currently paying for the defense of Hazelwood -- who was heard on Wednesday's recordings saying "Where's our greasy n----r song?" -- as well as former Vice President Scott “Scooter” Wombold and account representatives Karen Mann and Heather Jones.
Asked in December about his company continuing to do so in light of reports of Hazelwood's racist remark, Haslam stated: "Without getting into too much detail, it is traditional when employees of a company are sued or have a legal problem that the company until those employees plead guilty or are found guilty, the company pays for their legal expenses so that will continue.”
On Wednesday evening, Pilot Flying J issued a statement to Satterfield about the recordings:
"We are very disturbed and appalled by the extremely offensive and deplorable comments recorded over 5 years ago involving a small group of former sales employees. This kind of behavior is reprehensible, not tolerated, nor reflective of the guiding principles of Pilot Flying J and does not represent the values of the dedicated 28,000 team members that we have today. As soon as the Company was made aware of these tape recordings, immediate action was taken. The employees who participated were held responsible and are no longer with the Company. No current team member of Pilot Flying J was present or participated in this incident."
