SPOKANE, Wash. — The owner of multiple Spokane-based trucking companies has pled guilty to conspiracy to violate the Clean Air Act and covid relief fraud.
According to U.S. Attorney Vanessa Waldref, Pavel Ivanovich Turlak purchased illegal “delete tune” files from a Florida company which would allow his trucks to beat required emissions controls and monitoring systems. This was done between August 2017 and November 2023.
Turlak used the illegal files with his companies PT Express, Spokane Truck Service, and Pauls Trans. Turlak also helped customers beat emissions controls.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office says Turlak also fraudulently obtained more than $300,000 in covid relief funds despite his businesses being ineligible due to the Clean Air Act violations.
Turlak is scheduled to be sentenced April 2, 2025.
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