FleetCor, CEO agree to pay $100 million over hidden fuel-card fees

FleetCor and CEO Ronald Clarke have reached a $100 million resolution to settle Federal Trade Commission (FTC) litigation. This agreement follows years of legal action involving hidden charges on commercial fuel cards used by small businesses. Tens of thousands of customers suffered operating cost increases due to FleetCor's deceptive practices.

Regulators claim promised savings never materialized and were concealed by undisclosed billing methods. FleetCor, now operating as Corpay, is accused of imposing unauthorized fees totaling hundreds of millions. The FTC found FleetCor to be responsible for various improper practices, including unauthorized late penalties and misleading claims about gas savings, fraud controls, and card-related expenses.

These practices harmed customers across the United States, according to a 2019 complaint. The FTC argues FleetCor often waited several billing cycles before adding charges, making the extra costs harder for customers to detect. Invoices often omitted fee disclosures, pushing account holders to request separate management reports, with some of those documents also omitting or excluding certain amounts.

FleetCor deceived its small business customers by promising fuel savings that never occurred, according to Christopher Mufarrige, who directs the FTC's Bureau of Consumer Protection. A 2023 federal district court granted summary judgment to the FTC on every count, ruling that FleetCor engaged in hidden charges and false representations involving savings, fees, and fraud-control features.

A permanent injunction barred FleetCor from billing without informed consent and clear disclosures, prohibiting deceptive fuel-card claims or hiding material information behind hyperlinks. In 2026, a federal appeals court upheld all judgments against FleetCor, affirming the permanent injunction but vacating restrictions concerning CEO Clarke.

The proposed settlement package requires both respondents to agree not to oppose renewed limits covering Clarke. The FTC commissioners accepted this package by a 1-0-1 vote, with Chairman Andrew N. Ferguson recusing himself. The Federal Register will publish the order before opening a 30-day public comment period. After comments close, commissioners will decide whether to finalize the order.

Future violations could result in civil penalties of up to $53,088 per violation. Customers awaiting restitution details should monitor official FTC updates. This case serves as a lesson for transportation professionals on invoice reviews, vendor oversight, and contract controls.