In a significant development in Ohio's ongoing corruption investigation, former FirstEnergy Corp. CEO Chuck Jones and former Senior Vice President Michael Dowling have been indicted for their involvement in a $60 million bribery scheme. The indictments were announced by Republican Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost during an online news conference on Monday.

Yost expressed that the actions of Jones and Dowling over the years undermined confidence in state governments and the rule of law. The indictments represent the first criminal charges faced by the two executives since the scandal came to light. Yost emphasized the importance of holding the check writers and masterminds accountable to ensure justice.

Both Jones and Dowling were fired from FirstEnergy in October 2020 for violating company policies and the code of conduct. Their lack of indictments had raised attention as the 5-year statute of limitations neared. However, a grand jury in Summit County, home to Akron, indicted the former executives on Friday.

Yost mentioned that both Jones and Dowling had promised to turn themselves in on Monday but failed to keep that promise. However, he anticipated that they would be taken into custody at some point on Monday.

Additionally, the announcement included additional charges against Sam Randazzo, the former chair of the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio. Randazzo had already faced 11 counts of charges related to accepting bribes from FirstEnergy Corp. for regulatory favors. The indictment also implicated Randazzo's two businesses, IEU-Ohio Administration Co. and Sustainability Funding Alliance of Ohio.

Randazzo resigned from his position in November 2020 after FBI agents conducted a search of his Columbus townhome. FirstEnergy's security filings revealed that the company had paid him $4.3 million in anticipation of his future help at the commission, just a month before he was nominated as Ohio's top utility regulator by Republican Governor Mike DeWine.

Yost disclosed a combined total of 27 new felony counts against Jones, Dowling, and Randazzo. These charges include bribery, theft, engaging in corrupt activity, tampering with records, and money laundering. The attorney general emphasized that the indictment went beyond one piece of legislation, highlighting the capture of a significant portion of Ohio's state government through deception and betrayal.

The recent indictments mark the latest development in what has been labeled the largest corruption case in Ohio's history. Former Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder was sentenced to 20 years in prison in June for orchestrating the scheme, while lobbyist Matt Borges, a former chair of the Ohio Republican Party, received a five-year sentence.

An 81-page FBI criminal complaint from July 2020 shed light on how FirstEnergy executives, including Jones and Dowling, interacted with Householder and other indicted individuals. The complaint revealed numerous phone contacts between Jones and Householder, as well as between Dowling and Householder.

FirstEnergy had already admitted its role in the bribery scheme as part of a deferred prosecution agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice in July 2021. The company agreed to pay $230 million in penalties and enact various reforms within three years to avoid criminal prosecution.

As the legal proceedings continue, the indictments of Jones, Dowling, and Randazzo shed further light on the extent of the corruption scandal that has shaken Ohio's government and energy sector.