Trending Now - Deadlock in Jury Delays Verdict in Firstenergy Bribery Case

WHO:

AP News - Chuck Jones, former CEO of FirstEnergy Corp.

AP News - Michael Dowling, former senior vice president of FirstEnergy Corp.

AP News - Sam Randazzo, chair-to-be of the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio.

AP News - Larry Householder, former Ohio House Speaker.

AP News - Dave Yost, Republican Ohio Attorney General.

AP News - Carole Rendon, attorney for Chuck Jones.

ABC News - Jon Husted, U.S. Senator and former Ohio lieutenant governor.

WHAT:

AP News - Jurors failed to reach a verdict on April 1st, 2026, in the corruption trial of Chuck Jones and Michael Dowling.

AP News - The trial involved a $60 million bribery scheme to secure a $1 billion nuclear bailout.

AP News - Jones and Dowling were charged with felony corruption, bribery, conspiracy, and aggravated theft for paying $4.3 million.

ABC News - The jury declared an impasse after more than eight days of deliberations.

AP News - FirstEnergy admitted to underwriting the bribery scheme as part of a non-prosecution agreement in 2021.

ABC News - Larry Householder was sentenced to 20 years in prison for racketeering in 2023.

WHERE:

AP News - The trial took place in Akron, Ohio.

AP News - The bribery scheme involved the state of Ohio.

WHEN:

AP News - The jury reached an impasse on April 1st, 2026.

AP News - The trial lasted six weeks prior to the jury's deliberation.

AP News - Larry Householder was sentenced in 2023.

WHY:

AP News - The bribery scheme aimed to secure legislative and regulatory favors for FirstEnergy.

HOW:

AP News - Prosecutors argued that Jones and Dowling bribed Randazzo for favors related to House Bill 6, a $1 billion bailout.

AP News - The defense claimed the $4.3 million payment was a legal settlement for services rendered.

(UPDATED April 1, 2026 05:41 UTC)

Jurors reached an impasse on Wednesday, in the corruption trial of Chuck Jones and Michael Dowling, who faced charges related to a $60 million bribery scheme aimed at securing a $1 billion nuclear bailout in Ohio. The trial, which lasted six weeks, involved allegations that Jones and Dowling paid $4.3 million to influence regulatory decisions, while FirstEnergy admitted to underwriting the scheme as part of a non-prosecution agreement in 2021. Notably, Larry Householder, the former Ohio House Speaker, was sentenced to 20 years in prison for racketeering in 2023, highlighting the serious implications of this case.