Clear-cut corruption or misunderstanding? Closing arguments begin in FirstEnergy bribery trial

By: Morgan Trau

Outlets: Ohio Capital Journal

Published: March 17, 2026

Words: 984

Last Updated: 3 days, 17 hours ago

Body Text Preview

Closing arguments have begun in the FirstEnergy corruption trial, with the state arguing that two former executives need to be convicted for their role in the largest bribery scheme in Ohio history. The defense argued there has been a “misunderstanding” with the state, and that the “only” corrupt man died.

For six weeks, jurors listened to the state make its case, accusing former FirstEnergy CEO Chuck Jones and VP Mike Dowling of bribing former Public …

Create a free account to access this story and more

Join Plucky Wire to access full stories, collaborate with newsrooms, and discover content from networks around the world.

Email Us