Ohio Speaker of the House Larry Householder and four others were arrested in connection $61 million bribery case. David M. DeVillers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio called it the “largest money-laundering scheme ever perpetrated against the state of Ohio.”
The Scam
DeVillers alleged the defendants worked with an unnamed company called “Corporation A” to create a fake 501C company called Generation Now.
DeVillers said that the investigation by his office and the FBI was “very covert” by necessity. He said it was now an “overt” investigation. DeVillers said his office and the FBI were now free to knock on doors, execute search warrants, and question people. “This is by no means over. We’re not going to get into details of what we’re going to be doing.”
The charges against Householder accused him of conspiring with Generation now to enact House Bill 6, which bailed out nuclear energy providers in Ohio. In return for his support of the bill, the non-profit paid to Householder’s campaign staff, his Florida home, credit card debts, and paid to the settlement of a lawsuit against the speaker. DeVillers alleged Householder also used funds to put pressure on other lawmakers to pass the bill.
$150 Million A Year Bailout
House Bill 6 provided $150 million a year in rescue money to two struggling nuclear plants. The money was generated with a surcharge on consumers’ electrical bills. The law barely passed the Ohio House last summer.
Also indicted are Ohio Republican Party Chairman Matt Borges and political advisor Jeff Longstreth. DeVillers also named Lobbyists Juan Cespedes and Neil Clark in the indictment.
“From City Council to the Statehouse, all forms of public corruption are unacceptable,” FBI Special Agent in Charge of the Cincinnati office Chris Hoffman said. He asked anyone with information on this case or any other case of public corruption to please come forward.
DeVillers said there was currently no evidence that the scandal touches the Governor’s Office at this time.
