The owner of a fuel truck supply company, Kris Bird, has been sentenced to three months in prison and fined $24,000 for his involvement in bid rigging, market allocation, and wire fraud conspiracies. The sentencing took place in Boise, Idaho. Bird was also ordered to forfeit $1,542,387 to the federal government as proceeds from his wire fraud offenses. These conspiracies were related to contracts for providing fuel trucks that support the U.S. Forest Service's wildfire efforts in Idaho and the mountain west.
Bird pleaded guilty in March 2025 before his trial was scheduled to begin. This plea followed an investigation that included evidence from a judicially authorized wiretap and resulted in charges against two executives in December 2023. Earlier this month on June 5, Bird’s co-defendant Ike Tomlinson received a sentence of 12 months in prison and a $20,000 fine for his leadership role.
Assistant Attorney General Abigail Slater of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division commented on the case: “Mr. Bird stole taxpayer funds allocated for critical wildfire-fighting efforts protecting the American people to line his own pockets.” She emphasized that the Trump Antitrust Division’s Procurement Collusion Strike Force will continue its efforts against fraudulent use of taxpayer money.
Assistant Director Jose A. Perez of the FBI Criminal Investigative Division stated: “Today’s sentencing underscores the FBI’s commitment to protecting the integrity of our markets.” He noted that antitrust violations are federal crimes that distort competition and erode public trust.
Jason Suffredini, Assistant Inspector General for Investigations at the GSA Office of Inspector General, remarked: “Bid rigging is not a victimless crime. It cheats taxpayers and honest contractors who play by the rules.”
Court documents revealed that co-conspirators coordinated bids to inflate prices and determine business priority with federal agencies during wildfires. They also excluded potential competitors to maintain their conspiracy's success. From March 2015 to March 2023, Bird submitted false SAM certifications covering up his bid-rigging activities.
The investigation involved multiple agencies including the Antitrust Division’s San Francisco Office, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Idaho, FBI Salt Lake City Field Office, Boise Resident Agency, and GSA Office of Inspector General. Prosecutors included Assistant Chief Christopher J. Carlberg and Trial Attorneys Elena A. Goldstein, Daniel B. Twomey, Matthew Chou from the Antitrust Division's San Francisco Office along with Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean M. Mazorol.
The civil case was investigated by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Idaho and U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General with Assistant United States Attorney Robert B. Firpo and Civil Chief James Schaefer handling it.
In November 2019, the Justice Department established the Procurement Collusion Strike Force (PCSF) to combat antitrust crimes affecting government procurement at all levels—federal, state, and local.
