Chuck Jones and Michael Dowling are accused of orchestrating a $4.3 million bribe to Ohio's top utility regulator in what officials have called the state's largest corruption scheme.
Former FirstEnergy CEO Chuck Jones, pictured here with defense attorney Carole Rendon, and top lobbyist Mike Dowling, are set to begin trial Tuesday in Summit County Common Pleas Court.AKRON, Ohio — For the first time since Ohio’s House Bill 6 scandal broke more than five years ago, former FirstEnergy executives will stand trial on accusations that they used the Fortune 500 company’s deep pockets and massive political influence to carry out what officials have called the largest bribery scheme in Ohio history.
Former FirstEnergy CEO Chuck Jones and the company’s former top lobbyist, Michael Dowling, are set to go to trial Tuesday on charges that they bent state regulators to their will and bribed Public Utilities of Ohio Chairman Sam Randazzo with $4.3 million.to bribing Randazzo and former Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder, and two and a half years after Householder was convicted of accepting $60 million in FirstEnergy bribes to help pass and defend HB 6. The 2019 energy law, most of which has since been repealed, gave FirstEnergy a financial windfall – including a $1 billion-plus ratepayer bailout of two aging Northern Ohio nuclear plants.and vowed to take the case to trial to clear their names. Defense attorneys have said that prosecutors’ accusations are overblown and that evidence at trial will show Jones and Dowling always acted within the law and in the best interest of customers, shareholders and the company.prosecutors secured criminal charges against him. A Randazzo-owned company previously pleaded guilty in the case and agreed to pay $2.2 million in fines and restitution. The legal showdown, in Summit County Common Pleas Judge Susan Baker Ross’ courtroom, is expected to last at least two months. Much of the evidence in the case has already been made public through a host of lawsuits, regulatory investigations and Householder’s 2023 criminal trial.. It’s also unknown if the public will hear testimony from Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine or former Lt. Gov. Jon Husted, now a U.S. senator. Both are on Jones and Dowling face a total of 11 charges, including racketeering, conspiracy, bribery, money laundering, telecommunications fraud and theft. At the heart of the case is a $4.3 million payment FirstEnergy made to Randazzo in 2019. Randazzo’s 2015 consulting contract with the company included annual payments from FirstEnergy. Prosecutors with the Ohio attorney general’s office say Jones and Dowling worked to install Randazzo as PUCO chairman in 2019, bribed him and reaped the benefits as Randazzo helped pass HB 6 and, shortly before they were sworn in as governor and lieutenant governor, respectively. After leaving the dinner, Jones and Dowling went to Randazzo’s Columbus townhouse and agreed on the $4.3 million payment, prosecutors said.Neither DeWine nor Husted have been accused of criminal or civil wrongdoing in connection with the passage of HB 6 or Randazzo’s appointment. Defense attorneys have argued the $4.3 million was a payout to Randazzo for a consulting contract and that there was nothing unusual or illegal about it. Defense attorneys said in filings that they could call up to, emails, bank records and other documents prosecutors say show Jones and Dowling for years paid Randazzo in off-the-books schemes when Randazzo worked as an attorney for a utility trade group.that accuse them of bribing both Randazzo and Householder. Jones and Dowling have pleaded not guilty in that case, and a trial date has not yet been set.filed by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission that accuses him of lying to investors and the public about the bribe payments to Householder and misleading FirstEnergy’s internal auditors. The SEC is seeking a judicial order for Jones to pay back the $1.6 million bonus he received in 2019, as well as $18.1 million in FirstEnergy stock that he received around the time the company bribed Householder.that accuse him of illegally using campaign funds to pay for his defense in the 2023 trial. A trial is set for June.in 2021. The company agreed to pay a $230 million fine and institute a series of reforms. FirstEnergy admitted to bribing Householder and Randazzo as part of the deal. Besides the $230 million, FirstEnergy has also agreed to pay more than $600 million in connection with the HB 6 scandal, including:Adam Ferrise covers federal courts for cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer, where he’s worked since 2013. He previously covered Cleveland crime and policing, Akron and Summit County crime and courts and crime in...
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