Fuel Truck Supply Company Owner Sentenced for Bid-Rigging and Wire Fraud

Strategic Insights -

Kris Bird, a 62-year-old owner of a fuel truck supply company, has been sentenced to three months in prison and a $24,000 fine for his role in schemes to rig bids, allocate territories, and commit wire fraud over an eight-year period. The conspiracies Bird participated in related to contracts to provide fuel trucks that assist the U.S. Forest Service's efforts to battle wildfires in Idaho and the mountain west. Bird pleaded guilty in March 2025 to the seven-count indictment, and his co-defendant, Ike Tomlinson, 61, was sentenced to 12 months in prison and a $20,000 fine for his leadership role in the criminal conduct.

Key Takeaways:

  • Kris Bird, a 62-year-old owner of a fuel truck supply company, was sentenced to three months in prison and a $24,000 fine for his role in bid-rigging and wire fraud schemes.
  • The conspiracies Bird participated in related to contracts to provide fuel trucks that assist the U.S. Forest Service's efforts to battle wildfires in Idaho and the mountain west.
  • Bird pleaded guilty in March 2025 to the seven-count indictment, and his co-defendant, Ike Tomlinson, 61, was sentenced to 12 months in prison and a $20,000 fine for his leadership role in the criminal conduct.
  • The Antitrust Division's Procurement Collusion Strike Force and its law enforcement partners will continue to fight to ensure that the fraudulent use of taxpayer money results in incarceration.
  • Kris Bird was ordered to forfeit $1,542,387 as proceeds of his wire fraud offenses.
  • The conspiracy involved coordinating bids to inflate prices and determining who would have priority to receive business from the U.S. Forest Service and other federal agencies.
  • During the conspiracies, Bird annually submitted false SAM (System for Award Management) certifications to the federal government covering up his bid-rigging conspiracy and committing wire fraud.
  • In addition to the criminal sentence, Kris Bird and other related entities and individuals agreed to pay $781,186 to resolve civil claims related to allegations that they obtained government contracts through bid-rigging.

Statistics:

  • 8-year period: duration of the bid-rigging and wire fraud schemes
  • $1,542,387: amount Kris Bird was ordered to forfeit as proceeds of his wire fraud offenses
  • 3 months: prison sentence for Kris Bird
  • $24,000: fine imposed on Kris Bird
  • 12 months: prison sentence for Ike Tomlinson, 61, for his leadership role in the criminal conduct
  • $20,000: fine imposed on Ike Tomlinson
  • $781,186: amount Kris Bird and other related entities and individuals agreed to pay to resolve civil claims related to allegations of bid-rigging

Sources:

  • United States Attorneys General
  • "Kris Bird Sentenced for Bid-Rigging and Wire Fraud Schemes" (United States Attorneys General, March 2025)
  • "Ike Tomlinson Sentenced for Leadership Role in Bid-Rigging and Wire Fraud Schemes" (United States Attorneys General, June 2025)
  • "Department of Justice Announces Civil Settlement with Kris Bird and Related Entities and Individuals" (United States Department of Justice, May 2025)
  • "Procurement Collusion Strike Force" (United States Department of Justice, November 2019)
  • "MIL Security OSI" (Multimedia Investments Ltd, 2025)