The U.S. Supreme Court has confirmed the federal racketeering convictions of Larry Householder, a former Ohio House Speaker, and Matt Borges, an ex-lobbyist, reinforcing the legal findings of a significant $60 million bribery operation in Ohio. This decision maintains a prior judgment by the 6th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals, which had unanimously upheld the convictions.
The defendants, Householder and Borges, sought to challenge the verdict by appealing for an en banc review by all the active judges of the appellate court, but their request was denied. Their convictions were secured by the Department of Justice in March 2023 following an extensive investigation and a trial lasting over six weeks.
Householder, who is now 66, received a 20-year prison sentence for orchestrating a scheme funded by FirstEnergy Corp., based in Akron. The scheme aimed to elect allies, ensure the passage of a $1 billion bailout for two nuclear plants associated with FirstEnergy, and protect the legislation known as House Bill 6 from being repealed. For more details, see the federal racketeering convictions.
Borges, aged 53, was sentenced to five years for his role in thwarting efforts to repeal the bailout bill. Borges, previously the chair of the Ohio Republican Party, was transferred to a halfway house in Cincinnati in October and is scheduled for release on November 12, as reported by the Bureau of Prisons. Additional information can be found here.
