Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost announced Thursday that a grand jury has reindicted two fired FirstEnergy Corp. executives, bringing a combined 22 new criminal counts against them in a bribery and corruption case that has wound through the Ohio court system for years.
Charles "Chuck" Jones, the company's former chief executive, and Michael Dowling, its one-time top lobbyist, each face one count of engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, bribery, conspiracy and tampering with evidence, along with two counts each of telecommunications fraud. Jones faces two additional counts of obstructing justice. Dowling faces 14 additional counts of tampering with records.
"The roots of this complex case haven't changed — FirstEnergy was hijacked by two scheming executives who sought to control the regulator that influenced the company's stock prices," Yost said in a statement. "I'm confident that Ohio's ratepayers will get justice when the facts are unearthed in the courtroom."
According to ABC News, the case centers on a $4.3 million payment that FirstEnergy made to veteran lawyer and lobbyist Sam Randazzo in 2019, shortly before he was appointed as the state's top utility regulator. Prosecutors alleged that Jones and Dowling orchestrated that payment in exchange for regulatory and legislative favors Randazzo would later deliver as chairman of the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio. Those favors included helping to draft and advance House Bill 6, legislation that contained a $1 billion bailout of two aging FirstEnergy-affiliated nuclear plants.
Both men were fired in October 2020 for violating FirstEnergy's policies and code of conduct. Their first trial, held in Akron, lasted six weeks and ended in March when jurors could not reach a unanimous verdict after nine days of deliberation.
Legal teams for both Jones and Dowling are currently seeking acquittals from Summit County Common Pleas Judge Susan Baker Ross, even as the new indictments move the case toward a second trial.
The broader FirstEnergy scandal has already resulted in significant prison time for others involved. Former Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder is serving a 20-year prison sentence for orchestrating a FirstEnergy-funded scheme to secure political power, elect allies, pass House Bill 6, and then run a campaign against a repeal effort. Four others were also indicted in the scheme. One was sentenced to five years for helping thwart the repeal effort. One died by suicide after pleading not guilty. Two others are awaiting sentencing while cooperating with investigators.
Sam Randazzo, who received the $4.3 million payment, also died by suicide while facing state and federal charges. Whether he qualified legally as a public official had been one of the central disputes at the first trial.
