Lawsuit ends Buske family ownership of truck firm
The late Herman Buske started Edwardsville based Buske Lines Inc. in 1923 to deliver groceries with a couple of trucks. Over the next 86 years, the family owned business grew into an international freight carrier with a fleet of more than 200 tractors and 575 dry van and refrigerated trailers hauling goods across the United States and Canada.
That three generation family legacy came to an abrupt end in December. Johnson Son Inc., handed over control of Buske Lines and 13 related Buske companies to the consumer products maker. The change in control took effect Dec. 18 to help pay off a $203.8 million civil judgment against Thomas Buske and a handful of other defendants allegedly involved in a multimillion dollar bribery and kickback scheme.
Thomas Buske, 50, still faces 23 criminal counts, including mail fraud and money laundering, according to court documents. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, and a trial is pending. If convicted, Buske could face as much as 20 years in prison and hundreds of thousands of dollars in fines, according to court filings. Johnson, according to Buske's criminal indictment. Johnson headquarters in Racine, Wis., began shifting more of the company's contract transportation work to firms that could provide lower cost "intermodal" services combining truck and train delivery, according to the criminal indictment. Buske formed a transportation brokerage called Buske Intermodal that contracted with another company, Pacer Local Logistics, for rail service. Johnson's business to Buske Intermodal. Johnson in exchange for bribes and kickbacks, according to the vikingsofficialonlineshop.com/Teddy_Bridgewater_Jersey_Vikings criminal indictment. Johnson uncovered the scheme after an employee reportedly brought the transactions to the company's attention. He also bribed Morris with expensive golfing and gambling trips, according to the indictment. Johnson between 1999 and 2004. Buske allegedly collected and dispersed funds through Buske Intermodal's account with the Bank of Edwardsville.
The outcome of the criminal case against Buske is pending. The six other criminal defendants who faced related federal charges, including Morris, have pleaded guilty. In addition to being ordered to pay fines and restitution, two defendants received two years or more in prison, two were sentenced to three years' probation, and two more, including Morris, await sentencing Feb. 19. Johnson. That figure was doubled to $203.8 million when punitive damages were added to the civil judgment entered in June 2008. Johnson to help cover his liabilities.
Neither Thomas Buske nor his lawyers in Milwaukee could be reached for comment for this story. Johnson declined to provide details about the value of the Buske assets or the company's revenue. Research firm Dunn Bradstreet puts Buske Lines' annual revenue at about $60 million and notes the company has about 70 employees.
"We are currently learning as much as we can about the businesses," Taylor said of the Buske companies. "For the moment, we are not planning any significant changes in the operation of Buske Lines and its related companies."
John Babington, formerly a vice president with Buske Lines, has taken over the trucking company's management as president. He also declined to be interviewed.
Buske has 3 million square feet of warehouse space at more than 13 locations, including Edwardsville, Ill., and Columbia and Springfield, Mo., according to its Web site. The company lists Anheuser Busch, Hiram Walker, Anchor Glass, Procter Gamble, Seagram's and BASF Corp. among its customers.