AKRON, Ohio — The $4.3 million payment from FirstEnergy officials to a former state regulator came into focus on Monday during the trial of two former executives of the Akron-based utility.
Former Public Utilities Commission of Ohio Chairman Sam Randazzo ended up with the money, either by design as a bribe, as prosecutors say, or by theft, as defense attorneys argued during the fourth day of the trial of former FirstEnergy CEO Chuck Jones and top lobbyist Michael Dowling.
No one disputed that Randazzo, who died by suicide after being charged in the case, ended up with the money…