FirstEnergy customers remain furious at the former utility company executives who raised their bills to allegedly fund the largest bribery scheme in Ohio history — especially as the men pleaded not guilty on Tuesday.
Former FirstEnergy CEO Chuck Jones, former FirstEnergy Senior Vice President Michael Dowling and former chairman of the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio Sam Randazzo all pleaded not guilty during their arraignment in Akron. They are accused of masterminding the corruption scheme — and faced a Summit County judge for the first time.
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They have been charged with a “combined 27 counts of felony violations, including engaging in a corrupt activity, all related to their joint enterprise to hijack Ohio’s regulatory structure for the benefit of First Energy Corporation and for themselves,” Attorney General Dave Yost stated in the indictment.
FirstEnergy as a company has already admitted to bribing public officials in Ohio, including a $4.3 million bribe to Randazzo. Jones and Dowling allegedly paid this to him.