Brent Swadley, owner of the Oklahoima-based Swadley’s Bar-B-Q restaurant chain, was found guilty Thursday by a jury in an Oklahoma City courtroom of committing criminal fraud involving millions of dollars of state taxpayer money.
Swadley was accused of creating fake invoices and overbilling the Oklahoma Tourism & Recreation Department at state parks. The overbilling, which came to light several years ago, was estimated to be as high as $3.1 million.
Swadley’s launched its first restaurant along Route 66 in nearby Bethany, Oklahoma, and operates another location along Route 66 in El Reno and near the Mother Road in Oklahoma City…