Two former FirstEnergy executives have been reindicted on felony charges connected to Ohio’s House Bill 6 public corruption scandal, according to Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost and Summit County Prosecutor Elliot Kolkovich.
A Summit County grand jury this week returned indictments against former FirstEnergy CEO Charles “Chuck” Jones and former Senior Vice President of External Affairs Michael Dowling.
Together, the two men face 22 felony charges, including allegations of corrupt activity, telecommunications fraud, conspiracy, bribery, tampering with evidence and records, and obstructing justice.
Yost said the case remains focused on allegations that FirstEnergy executives sought to improperly influence state regulators whose decisions affected the company’s financial interests.
“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. “I’m confident that Ohio’s ratepayers will get justice when the facts are unearthed in the courtroom.”
Kolkovich said the alleged conduct represented a breach of public trust and pledged to continue pursuing the case alongside state prosecutors.
According to the indictment, Jones and Dowling allegedly participated in a criminal enterprise between 2010 and 2021 that sought to bribe public officials and advance FirstEnergy’s financial interests.
Prosecutors allege the pair worked together to influence government actions and concealed their activities through false ethics disclosures.
Jones faces eight felony counts, including engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, telecommunications fraud, conspiracy, bribery, tampering with evidence, and obstructing justice.
Dowling faces 19 felony counts, including engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, telecommunications fraud, conspiracy, bribery, and 14 counts of tampering with records.
The reindictment comes after a two-month trial ended in a mistrial in March when jurors were unable to reach a unanimous verdict.
Jones and Dowling were originally indicted in February 2024 along with former Public Utilities Commission of Ohio Chairman Samuel “Sam” Randazzo.
Randazzo died by suicide before the trial began.
The investigation was conducted by a task force established through the Ohio Organized Crime Investigations Commission at the request of the Summit County Prosecutor’s Office.
The Ohio Attorney General’s Office and Summit County Prosecutor’s Office are jointly prosecuting the case.
