In a recent court hearing, a lawyer representing Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway made a stunning accusation against Browns owner Jimmy Haslam. According to the lawyer, Haslam admitted under oath to offering bribes to Pilot executives in an effort to inflate the value of Pilot Corporation. The revelation came during a deposition conducted on Tuesday, where Haslam denied offering a "side payment" to a Pilot Travel Centers controller.

The lawyer, Ryan Stottmann, claimed that Haslam testified to having an "informal agreement" with two dozen Pilot employees to reinstate their executive bonus plan if and when the Haslams sell their remaining stake in the company. This admission by Haslam has set the stage for a fierce legal battle regarding the valuation of the remaining 20 percent of Pilot that Berkshire Hathaway intends to purchase from the Haslams.

Stottmann, in court, called the admission "stunning," highlighting the contradiction with Pilot's insistence that the bribery allegation is fabricated. Stottmann argued that Haslam's confession verifies the existence of a shadow executive compensation plan, which Pilot has vehemently denied.

While the bribery angle may not be included in the upcoming trial relating to the value of Pilot, the presiding judge has decided not to dismiss Berkshire Hathaway's ongoing efforts to prove the offering of bribes or similar acts. As a result, Haslam will have to face further questioning in a reconvened deposition, despite previous instructions from his lawyers not to answer certain questions.

The judge emphasized the relevance of the information, stating, "Just because those are out of the case doesn't mean that that information is not relevant in another way... It's relevant to impeachment and bias." This comment from the judge raises concerns for Pilot and Haslam and indicates that their position may be weakening. Furthermore, it confirms that federal prosecutors are investigating the bribery allegations, as previously acknowledged by Pilot's lawyers.

The battle between Berkshire Hathaway and Pilot continues, with the bribery allegation potentially tarnishing Haslam's reputation. The NFL may also become involved in the matter, although the league's track record in punishing owners compared to players has raised questions about a potential double standard.

UPDATE 12:40 p.m. ET: Pilot Corporation has responded to the allegations, denying them as false. A spokesperson for Pilot stated, "Pilot continues to deny the false allegations in Berkshire's counterclaims. The assertion of Berkshire's counsel at Thursday's court hearing that Mr. Haslam admitted Berkshire's baseless allegations in his deposition is a gross mischaracterization of Mr. Haslam's testimony." The denial sets up further challenges for both sides as they strive to prove their respective positions in court.