US EditionJury Deliberating in Corruption Trial of Ex-FirstEnergy Executives Accused of $4.3 Million Bribe
Prosecutors allege $61 million was used to pass House Bill 6, a law that enabled a billion-dollar bailout for FirstEnergy, marking Ohio's largest bribery case.
- On Tuesday, jurors in Akron began deliberating in the corruption trial of former FirstEnergy executives Charles Jones and Michael Dowling, accused of a $60 million bribery scheme involving nuclear plant bailouts.
- Prosecutors allege Jones and Dowling paid more than $4.3 million to former Public Utilities Commission Chair Sam Randazzo to secure legislative favors, including passage of House Bill 6.
- Defense attorney Steven Grimes argued the payment was a legitimate settlement owed to Industrial Energy Users-Ohio clients, contending Randazzo stole the money without Jones or Dowling's knowledge.
- This trial stems from the broader House Bill 6 scandal that already resulted in the conviction of former Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder, who is serving a 20-year prison sentence.
- Legal expert Michael Benza noted jurors face a difficult decision due to the case's complexity and large sums involved, with deliberations potentially lasting days as they decipher intricate transactions.
30 Articles
30 Articles
What the jury will be deciding in the FirstEnergy corruption trial
The jury has begun deliberating whether or not two former FirstEnergy executives are guilty of bribery for their role in the largest public corruption scheme in Ohio history.In a Summit County courtroom on Tuesday, tensions ran high as defense attorneys and the state's prosecutor made their final pleas to the 12 jurors.For six weeks, Assistant Attorney General Matthew Meyer explained why former FirstEnergy CEO Chuck Jones and VP Mike Dowling are…
Ohio Capital Journal
WCPO CincinnatiClear-cut corruption or misunderstanding? Closing arguments begin in FirstEnergy bribery trial
Defense attorney Steve Grimes for ex-FirstEnergy Senior Vice President Michael Dowling, left, gestures as he gives his closing arguments as Assistant Ohio Attorney General Matthew Meyer takes notes in Dowling’s trial in Summit County Common Pleas Judge Susan Baker Ross's courtroom in Akron on March 16, 2026. Former FirstEnergy CEO Chuck Jones defense attorney Carole Rendon will give her closing arguments on Tuesday, March 17. (Pool photo by Mike…
Associated Press News
Jury deliberating in corruption trial of ex-FirstEnergy executives accused of $4.3 million bribe
Jurors in Ohio have begun deliberating in the corruption trial of two fired FirstEnergy Corp. executives charged for their alleged roles in the $60 million bribery scheme centered on a $1 billion nuclear plant bailout.
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