Charles Jones and Michael Dowling

Charles E. Jones, former CEO of FirstEnergy, and Michael Dowling, the company’s former senior vice president, are central figures in a multi-year corruption scandal involving bribery, racketeering, and fraud. In September 2024, the SEC charged Jones with fraud, alleging he participated in a scheme to pay $60 million in bribes to former Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder to secure nuclear bailout legislation. The SEC alleges Jones misled investors, auditors, and regulators regarding these payments and FirstEnergy's ethics. State prosecutors additionally indicted both Jones and Dowling for allegedly bribing former PUCO Chairman Sam Randazzo with $4.3 million. A trial on these state charges ended in a mistrial in early 2026 after jurors could not reach a verdict. Following the mistrial, the pair was reindicted on various felony counts, including corruption, bribery, conspiracy, and tampering. A judge dismissed two counts of aggravated theft against them in May 2025, ruling the state could not prove they stole funds that the company had authorized.