CINCINNATTI — Two men have been formally charged in a racketeering conspiracy case, according to the US Attorney’s Office for the southern district of Ohio.
[DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]
Charles Jones, 69 and Michael Dowling, 60, were executives for FirstEnergy. According to the indictment, Jones and Dowling used FirstEnergy for bribery, money laundering and obstruction in order to make more money for themselves and the company.
TRENDING STORIES:
- 66-year-old dead after crash in Greene County
- Man arrested near University of Dayton after report of shots fired
- Man accused of stealing cruiser, leading troopers on chase facing several charges
Jones was president and CEO from 2015 to 2020, the indictment says. During that time, Jones’ and Dowling’s income were tied to stock prices and company financial growth, according to the indictment.
The indictment details how the two men allegedly supported the RICO conspiracy, including schemes to bribe Ohio House Representative Larry Householder and a PUCO chairman.
The indictment states that FirstEnergy paid $59 million to Householder’s Generation Now. The indictment claims that the money helped Householder become Speaker of the House, which allowed him to pass House Bill 6 that bailed out a billion-dollar nuclear plant that benefitted FirstEnergy.
“This alleged $60 million racketeering conspiracy defrauded Ohioans to enrich the defendants,” stated FBI Cincinnati Special Agent in Charge Elena Latarola. “The FBI will continue to pursue political corruption and corporate fraud to protect taxpayers and hold white-collar criminals responsible for their actions.”
The RICO conspiracy charges could send Jones and Dowling to prison for 20 years.
[SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
©2025 Cox Media Group
