Householder Guilty In Biggest Corruption Case In Ohio History

(ONN) – Former Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder and former Ohio Republican party chair Matt Borges were convicted in what federal prosecutors have called the largest corruption case in state history.

After deliberations over two days, a jury in Cincinnati found Householder and Borges guilty of conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise involving bribery and money laundering.

Prosecutors said Householder orchestrated a scheme secretly funded by Akron-based FirstEnergy Corporation to secure his power in the legislature and elect his allies and then to pass and defend a $1 billion nuclear power plant bailout benefiting the energy utility company.

Prosecutors alleged that Borges, then a lobbyist, sought to bribe an operative for inside information on the referendum to overturn the bailout.

They each face up to 20 years in prison.