Generation Now enters guilty plea in legislation scandal

Generation Now enters guilty plea in Ohio legislation scandal

CINCINNATI, Ohio – An organization charged as part of a public corruption racketeering conspiracy pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court today.

Generation Now pleaded guilty to one count of participating in a more than $60 million racketeering conspiracy.

Jeffrey Longstreth, 44, a longtime campaign and political strategist to Ohio House Representative Larry Householder, signed the plea document on behalf of the entity. Longstreth pleaded guilty in October 2020 to an identical individual charge.

According to court documents, Generation Now was at the center of Householder and others receiving millions of dollars in exchange for specific official action. Householder and his enterprise received approximately $61 million through Generation Now from an energy company and its affiliates to pass and uphold a billion-dollar nuclear plant bailout.

Generation Now was created as a purported social welfare organization. According to the plea agreement, the actual purpose of Generation Now was for it to be used as a mechanism to receive undisclosed donations as a benefit to Householder. As part of the conspiracy, Generation Now engaged in financial transactions to conceal the source of payments made by Company A.

As part of the plea, Generation Now agrees to forfeit its assets, including nearly $1.5 million seized from organization bank accounts. The parties involved in the case have recommended a term of probation for the nonprofit of up to five years.

David M. DeVillers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; and Chris Hoffman, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, announced the plea entered into today before U.S. District Judge Timothy S. Black. Deputy Criminal Chief Emily N. Glatfelter and Assistant United States Attorney Matthew C. Singer are representing the United States in this case.