Jury Deadlocked in $60M FirstEnergy Bribery Trial

Former executives Chuck Jones and Michael Dowling face corruption charges in Ohio utility scandal.

Mar. 31, 2026 at 3:36pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

An extreme close-up photograph of a crumpled, torn financial document or record, lit by a harsh camera flash against a pitch-black background, conceptually representing the evidence and investigation in the FirstEnergy corruption case.The deadlocked jury in the FirstEnergy bribery trial exposes the challenges in prosecuting complex public corruption cases.Akron Today

A jury in Akron, Ohio has reported being unable to reach a verdict in the trial of former FirstEnergy CEO Chuck Jones and ex-senior vice president Michael Dowling. The two were charged with felony corruption, bribery, conspiracy, and aggravated theft for their alleged roles in a $60 million scheme to bribe the future chair of the state's utility regulator.

Why it matters

The FirstEnergy scandal was one of the largest public corruption cases in Ohio history, involving allegations of bribery, racketeering, and the passage of a controversial $1 billion nuclear power plant bailout bill. A mistrial in the case of the two top executives could complicate the broader investigation and raise questions about the strength of the prosecution's case.

The details

Prosecutors alleged that Jones and Dowling paid $4.3 million to Sam Randazzo, the future chair of the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio, in exchange for legislative and regulatory favors. The defense argued the payment was a legal settlement. As part of a non-prosecution agreement in 2021, FirstEnergy had already admitted to underwriting the $60 million scheme, in which former Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder was sentenced to 20 years in prison for racketeering.

  • The jury reported being deadlocked on Tuesday, March 30, 2026.
  • The judge said she will consider a mistrial motion at a later time.

The players

Chuck Jones

Former CEO of FirstEnergy Corp., charged with felony corruption, bribery, conspiracy, and aggravated theft.

Michael Dowling

Former senior vice president of FirstEnergy Corp., charged with felony corruption, bribery, conspiracy, and aggravated theft.

Sam Randazzo

The future chair of the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio, who allegedly received a $4.3 million bribe from FirstEnergy executives.

Larry Householder

Former Ohio House Speaker, sentenced to 20 years in prison for racketeering in the $60 million FirstEnergy bribery scheme.

Matt Borges

Lobbyist and former Ohio Republican Party Chair, sentenced to 5 years in prison for his role in the FirstEnergy scandal.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“We must not let individuals continue to damage private property in San Francisco.”

— Robert Jenkins, San Francisco resident

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on whether to declare a mistrial at a later time.

The takeaway

The deadlocked jury in the trial of the former FirstEnergy executives highlights the complexity and challenges in prosecuting high-profile public corruption cases, even as the broader scandal has already resulted in significant convictions and penalties.