Class-action lawsuit demands ComEd issue refunds for customers after bribery scheme
A new class-action lawsuit demands ComEd reimburse customers at least $150 million for the rate increases and other benefits it received from the state as part an acknowledged bribery scheme.
The suit, filed in Cook County on Monday, comes less than two weeks after ComEd stipulated to a “yearslong bribery scheme” involving jobs, contracts and payments to Democratic House Speaker Michael Madigan’s allies as it sought favorable treatment from the legislature.
The power company agreed to pay a $200 million fine, which cannot be raised through rate hikes, according to the terms of the agreement. The deal, however, does not require ComEd to reimburse customers for any additional money gleaned because of the scheme.
“Through rampant and widespread corruption in the form of bribery of Illinois elected officials, ComEd and its parent company, Exelon Corporation, deprived ratepayers of vast sums of money, totaling in the hundreds of millions, if not billions, of dollars,” the suit states.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-comed-bribery-class-action-lawsuit-reimburse-customers-20200728-hn3bb2lcdzhqnhtjvawmd7s2gy-story.html