Defendants, former FirstEnergy executives Michael Dowling and Chuck Jones, listen to proceedings on the second day of their trial in the courtroom of Summit County Common Pleas Court Judge Susan Baker Ross on Feb. 4, 2026. (Pool photo: Mike Cardew/Akron Beacon Journal).
Prosecutors announced Thursday that former top utility executives involved in one of the largest corruption scandals in Ohio history have been re-indicted.
Former FirstEnergy CEO Chuck Jones and Vice President Michael Dowling accused by the Summit County Grand Jury on numerous counts, including bribery, conspiracy and fraud. The earlier trial of both men ended with a verdict hung jury at the end of March.
Outgoing Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost and Summit County Attorney Elliott Kolkovich issued a joint statement announcing the reindictment of the executives.
“The roots of this complex case have not changed – FirstEnergy was taken over by two scheming executives who wanted to gain control of a regulator that influenced the company’s stock prices,” the statement quoted Yost as saying. “I am confident that Ohio ratepayers will receive justice when the facts come to light in the courtroom.”
During a 2023 trial in federal court in Cincinnati, federal prosecutors developed a scheme in which Akron-based FirstEnergy funneled more than $60 million through 501(c)(4) shadowy money groups.
They said the plan is to elect a Republican majority to the Ohio House of Representatives and make Larry Householder of Glenford speaker in 2019 so he can pass and secure a $1.3 billion ratepayer rescue package. The host now serves 20-year prison sentence for his role in the conspiracy.
Even after he was convicted on federal charges, Householder maintained his innocence. But in January, lawyers for the former House speaker said he was open to a plea deal in connection with his state corruption trial, which is scheduled for later this year in Cuyahoga County.
Jones and Dowling ran FirstEnergy at the time of the conspiracy for which Householder was convicted.
In 2021 — after Householder and others were arrested and Jones and Dowling were fired — FirstEnergy paid a $230 million fine and signed an agreement deferred prosecution agreement. The company admitted to paying millions to homeowners through shadowy money groups in exchange for “pushing for nuclear legislation to benefit FirstEnergy Corp.”
FirstEnergy also admitted paying a $4.3 million bribe to Sam Randazzo, Gov. Mike DeWine’s pick to be the state’s top utility regulator. In 2024 Randazzo died by suicide.
The feds only charged Jones and Dowling January 15, 2025 — after the men had already been indicted on state charges.
No trial date has been set in the federal case. According to a May 28 federal court docket, the case appears to be awaiting a state retrial, with jury selection scheduled to begin Sept. 18.
After eight days of deliberation, the jury in an earlier state trial could not agree on whether Jones and Dowling had bribed Randazzo.
Yost said 10 of 12 jurors agreed that the former executives were guilty. However, he explained that criminal cases require a unanimous verdict.
The fresh indictment contains fresh information, Yost said in: YouTube video was alluded to in the statement announcing the fresh indictment.
“This new indictment contains certain additional facts that were not known to us at the time of the initial indictment that we became aware of as a result of the civil lawsuit against FirstEnergy,” it said.
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