The FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Ohio will be making an announcement regarding a public corruption case involving a “$60 million bribe to state official & associates,” the Justice Department announced Tuesday.
360aproko News has learned that the press conference, which deals with an alleged racketeering conspiracy, is related to FBI agents showing up at the farm of Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder early Tuesday morning, which was first reported by 360aproko News.
Multiple local reports say that Householder and several others have since been arrested and are currently in custody.
360aproko news reported Tuesday morning that the case involves House Bill 6, legislation supported by Householder that bailed out two nuclear power plants.
Householder, a Republican, has been speaker since 2019 after previously having the position from 2001 to 2004. He left office due to term limits but rejoined the House in 2017.
This is just the latest incident of a state House speaker being caught up in an alleged bribery scheme.
Longtime Illinois House Speaker and state Democratic Party chairman Michael Madigan is currently facing pressure to resign after he was linked to a case of alleged bribery that has already resulted in utility company ComEd agreeing to a $200 million fine.
Madigan’s office confirmed that they are cooperating with subpoenas while he denies wrongdoing.
On Monday, a judge sentenced former New York Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver to 78 months in prison for charges stemming from a real estate scheme and money laundering, following a 2018 conviction.
