CINCINNATI — Jurors delivered a guilty verdict against former House Speaker Larry Householder and former Ohio GOP chairman Matt Borges in a pay-to-play scheme involving FirstEnergy Solutions. 

The six-week trial came to an end after two days of deliberation from jurors.

Tried together, Householder and Borges were each charged with conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise involving bribery and money laundering and face up to 20 years in prison.

They are two of the five men charged in the case; the others include Juan Cespedes, a former FirstEnergy lobbyist, and Jeffrey Longstreth, a Republican strategist who worked with Householder, who both pleaded guilty as part of a plea deal. Neil Clark, a lobbyist and Householder adviser, died by suicide in 2021.

Prosecutors alleged Householder and Borges had a secret arrangement with FirstEnergy to pass a $1 billion bailout of two nuclear plants. 

Prosecutors went over their allotted time during closing arguments where Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Singer addressed jurors for more than two hours.

“Larry Householder received almost $60 million from FirstEnergy bank accounts. He received that money through a 501(c)(4) that was secret. It was undisclosed. It was unreported, and he received the money knowing that FirstEnergy Corp. and FirstEnergy Solutions expected legislation in return,” Singer said. “This is called bribery.”

Householder, 63, took the stand during the trial where he maintained his innocence, saying said he didn't know that FirstEnergy Solutions drafted the first version of what would become House Bill 6. Borges, 50, did not testify during the trial.

Householder testified that strategist Longstreth was the one who created Generation Now, the dark money group that prosecutors said was a cover for bribes from FirstEnergy.

Under an agreement between the parties, jurors were not told that FirstEnergy has signed a deal to avoid prosecution admitting to the bribes and agreeing to pay a $230-million penalty.

After the guilty verdict, Householder told reporters that he was surprised, and added he plans to appeal.

"I've always been committed to the people of Ohio," Householder said. 

Borges echoed Householder's statements, saying he was surprised by the verdict. 

"This fight is not over as far as I'm concerned," Borges said. "We disagree with (the verdict) so we're going to see what our options are moving forward."

This story will be updated. The Associated Press and Spectrum News reporter Camri Nelson contributed to this report.