Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder arrested in $60 million bribery case

Sharon Coolidge

Dan Horn

Jessie Balmert

Cincinnati Enquirer

Federal officials arrested Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder and four others on Tuesday morning in connection with a $60 million bribery case.

U.S. Attorney David DeVillers' office would not discuss details of the case, but a source involved in the investigation confirmed Householder's arrest to The Enquirer.

Also arrested, according to the source: Neil Clark, founder of Grant Street Consultants and once called by USA Today “one of the best-connected lobbyists in Columbus;” former Ohio Republican Party chair and consultant Matthew Borges; Juan Cespedes, co-founder of The Oxley Group in Columbus; and Jeffrey Longstreth, adviser to Householder.

A spokeswoman for DeVillers said an Ohio official and associates were charged in the case, which she described as a "public corruption racketeering conspiracy involving $60 million." DeVillers has scheduled a 2:30 p.m. press conference to discuss the case.