(WKBN) – According to a release from FirstEnergy, CEO Charles E. Jones has been terminated, effective immediately.
The firing comes in the wake of a bribery scandal involving former Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder.
Householder and others are accused of taking millions of dollars in bribes to move along a nuclear energy bailout bill known as House Bill 6.
Along with Jones, FirstEnergy announced it also fired two other executives, its senior vice president of external affairs and senior vice president of product and development, marketing and branding.
Steven E. Strah, president of FirstEnergy, has been appointed acting CEO.
Householder and four associates are charged with receiving $60 million to pass and uphold a bill that funneled state funds to two failing nuclear power plants.
The group is charged with conspiring to violate a federal racketeering statute through wire fraud, receipt of millions of dollars in bribes, and money laundering.
According to the criminal complaint, from March 2017 to March 2020, the group received millions of dollars in exchange for the group’s help in passing House Bill 6.
The power plants were managed by FirtEnergy.
This is a developing story. Check back here for updates.
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