Credit AP Photo/Farnoush Amiri
The energy giant at the center of a $60 million bribery scheme in Ohio admitted Thursday to new details of its role in the conspiracy as part of a deal with federal prosecutors, including how it used dark money groups to fund the effort and paid a soon-to-be top utility regulator to write the legislation it got in exchange.
Akron-based FirstEnergy Corp. is charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud under the deferred prosecution agreement, Acting U.S. Attorney Vipal J. Patel and FBI Special Agent in Charge Chris Hoffman announced at a press conference.
The charge would be dropped if the company complies over three years with a list of required actions in the deal, including paying a $230 million criminal penalty and continuing to fully cooperate with investigators.