Michael Dowling and Chuck Jones

Charles Chuck Jones, former CEO of FirstEnergy, and Michael Dowling, former senior vice president, are central figures in a major Ohio public corruption and pay-to-play scandal involving the bribery of state officials, including former Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) Chairman Sam Randazzo and former House Speaker Larry Householder. Both men were fired by FirstEnergy in October 2020 following an internal investigation and FBI activity. They face ongoing criminal proceedings at both state and federal levels. At the state level, they were indicted in Summit County for alleged involvement in a scheme to pay a $4.3 million bribe to Randazzo to influence regulatory decisions. A previous state trial ended in a mistrial due to a hung jury. In May 2025, a judge dismissed two counts of aggravated theft against them, ruling that because FirstEnergy as a company consented to the payments, it could not be considered a victim of theft by its own executives. They remain charged with multiple felonies, including engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, bribery, telecommunications fraud, conspiracy, and tampering with records. Additionally, they have been charged in federal court under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act regarding bribery schemes involving Randazzo and Householder. Separately, the SEC filed a civil suit against Jones in September 2024, alleging he misled shareholders regarding the company's conduct. Jones and Dowling have pleaded not guilty to the charges against them and maintain their innocence.