A federal judge has denied a request from former JEA CEO Aaron Zahn to remain free while he appeals his federal conviction on conspiracy and wire fraud charges.

Attorneys for former JEA CEO Aaron Zahn are asking that he be allowed to remain free while his convictions on federal charges of conspiracy and wire fraud are appealed to a higher court.

Attorneys for former JEA CEO Aaron Zahn are asking that he be allowed to remain free while his convictions on federal charges of conspiracy and wire fraud are appealed to a higher court.

After former JEA CEO Aaron Zahn was sentenced to four years in federal prison for conspiracy and wire fraud on Tuesday, News4JAX wanted to know what life will be like for him when he begins his sentence.

The former JEA CEO convicted on conspiracy charges in a scheme for a proposed bonus plan that prosecutors said could have paid out millions of dollars to Aaron Zahn and other executives, had the city-owned utility been sold, will spend four years behind bars.

Zahn is set to learn his fate on Tuesday afternoon and could be sentenced to up to nine years in federal prison.

Zahn is set to learn his fate on Tuesday afternoon and could be sentenced to up to nine years in federal prison.

Painting a picture of a family man, involved in his community, attorneys for former JEA CEO Aaron Zahn are asking a judge to not impose a multi-year prison sentence for his federal convictions of conspiracy and wire fraud, which they say has already taken an immense toll on Zahn and his family, with scrutiny and humiliation leading to a diagnosis of PTSD for the former utility head.

One week before former JEA CEO Aaron Zahn goes before a federal judge to learn his sentence for conspiracy and wire fraud, federal prosecutors are arguing that punishment should be one of “multi-year incarceration.”

JEA has finalized an agreement for developing three renewable energy solar facilities in Jacksonville.

Prosecutors filed a motion Thursday asking a judge to delay the sentencing trial for former JEA CEO Aaron Zahn, who was found guilty in a federal fraud and conspiracy case that would have landed the former executive millions if the utility company was sold.

Prosecutors filed a motion Thursday asking a judge to delay the sentencing trial for former JEA CEO Aaron Zahn, who was found guilty in a federal fraud and conspiracy case that would have landed the former executive millions if the utility company was sold.

Former JEA CEO Aaron Zahn was found guilty by a federal jury on Friday of attempting to defraud the city-owned utility.

So, when you get your JEA Bill next month you might notice a difference but it may not be in a bad way — at least for now.

Now that the JEA scandal has finally concluded with a federal trial leading to the conviction of the public utility’s former CEO Aaron Zahn, there’s one question that still lingers:

Former Chief Executive Officer of JEA, Aaron Zahn, found guilty of conspiracy and wire fraud on Friday and could spend 25 years in prison. His Chief Financial Officer, Ryan Wannemacher, was found not guilty. Those who were on hand when the proposed sale of JEA was beginning to play out, are starting to speak out.

Former JEA CEO Aaron Zahn was found guilty by a federal jury on Friday of attempting to defraud the city-owned utility.

One of the two juries reached a verdict in the federal trial of former JEA executives accused of conspiracy and fraud.

Juries on Thursday are set to begin deliberating the fates of Aaron Zahn and Ryan Wannemacher.

Jurors in the trial of former JEA executives Aaron Zahn and Ryan Wannemacher are now considering the testimony of more than 30 witnesses, which they heard over the course of 14 days of court proceedings, as they deliberate whether the two men are guilty or not guilty of conspiracy and wire fraud.

Juries on Thursday are set to begin deliberating the fates of Aaron Zahn and Ryan Wannemacher.

The men are charged with conspiracy and wire fraud in connection with a proposed bonus plan that prosecutors said could have paid out hundreds of millions of dollars had the utility been sold.

It was the final day of testimony in the case against former JEA executives Aaron Zahn and Ryan Wannemacher who are accused of conspiracy and wire fraud in connection with a proposed bonus plan that prosecutors said could have paid out hundreds of millions of dollars if the utility had been sold.

Federal prosecutors rested their case just after noon on Monday after calling their final two witnesses in their case against former JEA executives Aaron Zahn and Ryan Wannemacher who are accused of conspiracy and wire fraud.

Camille Lee-Johnson, the only remaining JEA board member who voted at the July 23, 2019 meeting who has not yet testified at the trial of former JEA executives Aaron Zahn and Ryan Wannemacher, invoked her Fifth Amendment right 26 times during a hearing to determine whether she and two other witnesses would be allowed to testify in front of the juries at the trial.

Testimony on Thursday was the first time juries heard from a member of former Mayor Lenny Curry’s staff in the federal case against former JEA CEO Aaron Zahn and former CFO Ryan Wannemacher, who are accused of orchestrating what some are calling the largest attempt to defraud the city of Jacksonville.

Attorney Stephen Amdur testified that former CEO Aaron Zahn told him he would make $40 million through a controversial bonus plan if JEA were sold and that Zahn had former Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry’s support.

On Tuesday, city attorneys who worked with JEA on those plans testified they were not aware of how much money executives could make even though one of them could have made millions off of the plan.

Monday marked Day 9 in the federal trial against former JEA CEO Aaron Zahn and his former Chief Financial Officer Ryan Wannemacher, who are both charged with conspiracy and fraud.

There was more insight on Friday into what took place behind closed doors in events that could have led to what some say would have been the biggest scheme to defraud the City of Jacksonville.

On Thursday afternoon, jurors heard from former JEA executive Melissa Dykes during Day 7 of the fraud and conspiracy trial of former JEA CEO Aaron Zahn and former Chief Financial Officer Ryan Wannemacher

Former JEA board members continued to testify on Wednesday in the case against two former JEA executives involving what some are calling one of the biggest schemes ever to try to defraud the City of Jacksonville.

The juries for the first time in the federal trial of two JEA executives accused of trying to take millions in personal profits from a proposed sale of the city-owned utility through a controversial bonus plan heard from a former JEA board member on Tuesday.

The trial of two JEA executives accused of trying to take millions in personal profits from a proposed sale of the city-owned utility through a controversial bonus plan entered its second week on Monday.

FBI special agent Angela Hill, a member of the local public corruption, returned to stand on Friday to describe her work as from the early stages of the investigation into two former JEA executives who are accused in a complex conspiracy.

The JEA scandal rocked the city and two men could face 25 years in federal prison if convicted, but it’s far from the first headline-grabbing politically-connected scandal to hit the Jacksonville area in recent years.

Former JEA CEO Paul McElroy said Thursday that he was “surprised” and “somewhat disappointed” when Aaron Zahn became interim CEO of the city-owned utility following McElroy’s 2018 retirement.

Opening statements will now begin Wednesday in a trial that is expected to last four weeks. Aaron Zahn and Ryan Wannemacher could get up to 25 years in prison if convicted on all charges.

Jacksonville is gearing up for a trial some would say focuses on the biggest planned fraud against the city, a proposed sale of JEA that could have led to millions in bonuses for some executives.

Nearly two years after former JEA executives Aaron Zahn and Ryan Wannemacher were indicted on federal charges of conspiracy and wire fraud, prosecutors and defense attorneys will give their opening statements to two juries on Wednesday morning.

A jury to hear former JEA chief financial officer Ryan Wannemacher’s case was chosen late Friday afternoon.

Nearly two years after former JEA executives Aaron Zahn and Ryan Wannemacher were indicted, jury selection will begin Thursday for their upcoming federal trial.

Nearly two years after former JEA executives Aaron Zahn and Ryan Wannemacher were indicted, jury selection will begin Thursday for their upcoming federal trial.

A former JEA CEO and his former chief financial officer are preparing to stand trial on federal charges of conspiracy and wire fraud, accused of trying to take millions in personal profits from a proposed sale of the city-owned utility through a controversial bonus plan. Aaron Zahn and Ryan Wannemacher were indicted in March 2022, and after numerous delays, their trial is ready to begin, nearly two years after their charges were announced.

With less than three weeks until former JEA CEO Aaron Zahn faces trial on criminal charges of conspiracy and wire fraud, conflicting stories are emerging about the scuttled sale of the city-owned utility in 2019.

Outside consultants hired by JEA and the city of Jacksonville as the city-owned utility explored privatization in 2019 provided insight into the scuttled attempt to sell the utility, during testimony at a pre-trial hearing for former JEA executives Aaron Zahn and Ryan Wannemacher.

A federal judge said Thursday he will rule soon on a request to delay the upcoming trial of former JEA executives Aaron Zahn and Ryan Wannemacher.

Attorneys for former JEA executives Aaron Zahn and Ryan Wannemacher are expected back in court Thursday ahead of their upcoming fraud trial regarding the utility’s botched sale attempt.

Less than two weeks before their trial on federal conspiracy and wire fraud charges is scheduled to begin, attorneys for former JEA executives Aaron Zahn and Ryan Wannemacher are once again asking a judge to delay the start of the proceedings.

With less than three weeks until the scheduled federal criminal trial of former JEA executives Aaron Zahn and Ryan Wannemacher, prosecutors and defense attorneys were back in a Jacksonville courtroom Wednesday, discussing issues around witnesses, evidence, and jury selection.

A federal judge has ruled that two separate juries will be seated for the upcoming trial of former JEA executives Aaron Zahn and Ryan Wannemacher, due to how protected statements may be used during their defense.

A federal judge has denied a request from former JEA CEO Aaron Zahn to move his upcoming criminal trial from Jacksonville to Tampa, finding their arguments regarding pretrial publicity didn't meet the legal standard required to move a trial.

Prosecutors have submitted the list of witnesses they plan to call in the trial of two former JEA executives facing federal charges of conspiracy and wire fraud.

Two former JEA executives facing federal charges of conspiracy and wire fraud are still on track to face a trial in February, though defense attorneys raised the possibility of asking for a delay.

A federal magistrate judge has found that the criminal case against two former JEA executives was built without the use of protected statements made by the two, even as defense attorneys had argued that the case was tainted and the indictment needed to be dismissed.

A key decision in the criminal case against two former JEA executives is now in the hands of a federal judge.

Recently-filed court documents in the federal case against two former JEA executives accused of creating a lucrative bonus plan that could pay out millions if the utility were sold give new insight into the strategy behind their legal defense.

Attorneys involved in the federal case against former JEA executives Aaron Zahn and Ryan Wannemacher are asking a judge to delay the trial on conspiracy and wire fraud charges from October of this year to February 2024.

Attorneys involved in the federal case against former JEA executives Aaron Zahn and Ryan Wannemacher are asking a judge to delay the trial on conspiracy and wire fraud charges from October of this year to February 2024.

After eight days of testimony, it will now be up to a judge to weigh whether or not federal prosecutors used off-limits statements to build their case against two former JEA executives charged with conspiracy and wire fraud.

A multi-day hearing ahead of the federal trial for two former JEA executives revealed new details about events surrounding the attempted sale of the utility in 2019.

A multi-day hearing ahead of the federal trial for two former JEA executives revealed new details about events surrounding the attempted sale of the utility in 2019.

Lawyers for two former JEA executives facing federal charges in connection with the attempted sale of the utility spent over two hours at a hearing Thursday morning questioning the FBI special agent who led the investigation, about how the case was built.

Testimonies are expected to be heard on Monday from a range of current and former officials with the city of Jacksonville and JEA before two former JEA executives stand trial later this year.

A multi-day, pre-trial hearing for two former JEA executives facing federal charges is expected to include testimony from a range of current and former officials with the city of Jacksonville and JEA, later this month.

The race for Jacksonville mayor is heating up and attack ads are mentioning the attempted sale of JEA.

Attorneys for former JEA CEO Aaron Zahn and former CFO Ryan Wannemacher are asking the judge to delay their upcoming federal trial on conspiracy and wire fraud charges until late next year.

Attorneys for former JEA CEO Aaron Zahn have asked a judge to move his upcoming federal trial on conspiracy and wire fraud charges to Tampa, arguing he cannot get a fair trial in Jacksonville.

Neither Aaron Zahn or Ryan Wannamaker — two former JEA executives — were in court Monday for a federal hearing, and their attorneys who were present did not wish to speak with News4JAX.

The attempt to privatize JEA is now getting international attention. A delegation from African nations has visited Jacksonville to study ethics and transparency, and it’s using what happened with JEA as a case study.

Attorneys for former JEA CEO Aaron Zahn and former JEA CFO Ryan Wannemacher filed a motion asking the judge to extend the discovery deadline 60 days from August 15 to October 14.

A court hearing for two former JEA executives, who have been indicted on federal charges, wrapped up on Tuesday afternoon with a judge setting some deadlines, leading up to a trial next year.

On Monday, Aaron Zahn’s attorneys filed a motion asking for permission for him to relocate.

Lawyers for two former JEA executives facing conspiracy and wire fraud charges said they plan to push for a change of venue and asked for a trial date next year.

The trial of two former JEA executives indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of conspiracy and wire fraud is set to be delayed, court documents show.

Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry told News4JAX on Thursday that he still doesn’t wish to speak directly about the federal indictments against the two former leaders of JEA.

Attorneys representing Ryan Wannemacher, the former chief financial officer of JEA, have filed a motion to continue, or delay, the deadlines for pretrial motions — as well as the trial date itself.

Aaron Zahn, the former CEO of the city-owned utility, will be permitted to go to the Bahamas next week on a family vacation. That has some wondering.

Aaron Zhan is not the only one facing a federal trial for the JEA scandal. Ryan Wannemacher is also facing charges, but people don't know as much about him, so we did a little digging to find out.

Former JEA Chief Executive Officer Aaron Zahn and former JEA Chief Financial Officer Ryan Wannemacher will appear before a federal judge Tuesday afternoon on charges of conspiracy and wire fraud.

Former Chief Executive Officer of JEA, Aaron Zahn, and former Chief Financial Officer, Ryan Wannemacher, were indicted by a grand jury for two counts each of conspiracy and wire fraud.

In an audit report released Friday, Jacksonville’s inspector general criticizes JEA’s former leaders for overspending.

Amid the ongoing grand jury investigation into the failed sale of JEA, the utility’s former interim chief operating officer made an appearance Thursday in federal court downtown.

An appeals court Tuesday said a former CEO of the Jacksonville municipal utility is entitled to go to arbitration in a legal battle over his firing.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Attorneys for former JEA CEO Aaron Zahn have sent a letter to city leaders disputing some of the findings of the investigative report that came out in January. Zahn was fired in late 2019 after it came to light that senior leaders of the utility could have made millions of dollars, through a controversial bonus plan. Zahn and his attorneys have long claimed he is being used as a scapegoat. A separate criminal investigation is underway by federal authorities, but there is no word when that could wrap up. The Florida Times-Union recently reported that a federal grand jury will soon hear from witnesses in the investigation.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A federal grand jury will soon hear from witnesses in the investigation of JEA’s efforts to sell the city-owned utility to a private entity, according to a report by the Florida Times-Union. Columnist Nate Monroe cites several sources that numerous grand jury subpoenas have been issued. Attorneys Office has been looking into JEA and the issues surrounding the leadership team and their involvement in the sales plan. Among the findings of a months-long investigation by a special Jacksonville City Council committee was that the effort to sell JEA “ran afoul through Aaron Zahn’s greed.”AdFederal prosecutors do not comment on current investigations. There’s no official word when the grand jury will take up the matter or how long this investigation could take.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Some current and former Jacksonville City Council members say the lengthy report released Monday on the failed JEA sale reads like a novel. “Aaron Zahn (former CEO of JEA) could not have pulled off the biggest heist in U.S. history by himself. News4Jax checked reports in 2017 regarding JEA and the possibility of a sale and talking with those involved at the time. Two people close to the investigation who raised questions then told News4Jax this report is right on the money. The report suggests Curry was pushing for the sale from the start.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The final report by a special Jacksonville City Council committee formed to investigate a botched attempt to sell the JEA in 2019 calls the plan greedy and found that it cost the city millions of dollars. The 132-page report released Monday morning was the result of 10 months of committee work, including witness testimony, and prepared by an attorney for the City Council. The report says the compensation plan “ran afoul through Aaron Zahn’s greed.” In closing, the report says “The ultimate cost to JEA and the City was millions of dollars. The truth around JEA’s strategic planning process is complex and definitively involved the Mayor, City Council, the entire Board, OGC and countless strategic advisors. He applauds the City Council investigation on JEA and says the report points to three huge problems.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – It wont be until the end of December that we could find out more about what happened with JEA and the botched sales plan. It was almost a year ago when many of the problems with the proposed JEA sale surfaced and eventually led to the firing of now ex-CEO Aaron Zahn and the JEA leadership team. RELATED: JEA’s new CEO: ‘Time for us to move forward’On Monday members of the Jacksonville City Council committee looking into what happened met for its final time. It was revealed that the committee’s report should be ready by the end of the month and it will be made public on Jan. 11. Federal Investigators are also looking into the JEA matter as well.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Jay Stowe officially began the job Monday as managing director and CEO of JEA. Stowe said he focuses on three things: public health, public safety and economic development. He calls JEA foundational to the community and believes restoring trust is a necessity both on the internal and external levels. He will work to appoint a new management team and work with a gradually changing JEA board. “The idea of when or whether we need a rate increase starts with managing the systems really well.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The new head of JEA says the city-owned utility is ready to move forward. Jay Stowe, who was just hired two weeks ago, talked to the JEA board virtually during its meeting Tuesday morning. Stowe did not mention former CEO Aaron Zahn, who was fired by the board in January after the botched exploration of a JEA sale. “We will work to develop a senior team," Stowe told the board. Also, the board voted to spend $2.4 million to buy land downtown in order to build a second headquarters.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – News4Jax is learning more about how much money JEA is going to pay its new CEO. On Monday, an agreement was released that shows newly selected Jay Stowe will be paid $560,000 a year to run the city-owned utility. Stowe will not be entitled to any other incentive compensation and will not participate in the JEA bonus plan like other employees. Stowe was selected by the board at the end of last month. McElroy was brought in when former CEO Aaron Zahn was fired by the board in January for his role in the failed attempt to sell JEA.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Jacksonville voters have spoken, and they want the City Council to have a say in who sits on the board of directors for JEA. The majority of voters approved an amendment to the city’s charter that empowers the City Council to appoint and remove four members of the city-owned utility’s board of directors. Previously, the charter held that it was up to the mayor to appoint all seven board members and the council confirmed those appointments. Duval County Referendum - JEA board member appointment “Shall the Jacksonville charter be amended ... to (1) grant to City Council the executive power to appoint and remove four members of the JEA Board and (2) amend the qualifications of board members?" The abandoned plan to find suitors for the utility is under investigation by both the City Council and the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – During a Monday night special meeting, the JEA board picked Jay Stowe as the next CEO of the utility. Stowe is the chief executive officer and founder of Stowe Utility Group LLC, located in Chattanooga, Tennessee. He was chosen over the two other finalists -- John Lewis Hairston, the chief operating officer of Bonneville Power Administration in Portland, Oregon, and Morgan K. O’Brien, the former chief executive officer and president of Peoples Gas. Stowe will take over for Paul McElroy who was called in to replace Melissa Dykes, who herself replaced embattled former CEO Aaron Zahn. Zahn was fired by a different JEA board in January following his role in the controversial failed plan to sell the city-owned utility.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – JEA is one step closer to finding its next CEO. On Tuesday, the JEA board of directors interviewed the three finalists for the utility’s open CEO position. Zahn was fired by a different JEA board in January following his role in the controversial failed plan to sell the city-owned utility. “I think we have a tough decision,” said John Baker, JEA Board Chairman. They will then turn in their rankings sometime in the next two days and the board will look to make its final decision on a CEO by Friday.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Another player in the JEA saga was questioned about what happened during the city-owned utility’s failed sales attempt. Tim Baker, a political consultant for Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry, was questioned last month by an attorney for the City Council investigative committee about the role he played in the botched JEA sale. Zahn said that he flew to Atlanta on a plane provided by Conventus, LLC, a company co-managed by Baker. Sam Mousa, who recently retired from that position and is listed in public records as a co-manager of Conventus LLC, was also there. The testimony is being reviewed by a City Council committee looking into JEA and the practices surrounding the potential sale.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Testimony released Wednesday reveals what Mayor Lenny Curry and his staff may have known prior to the plan to try and sell JEA. Curry’s former Chief Administrative Officer Sam Mousa was interviewed for that committee and he said there was no plot by the mayor to sell JEA outright. SPECIAL SECTION | Tracking the JEA sagaMousa was questioned by an attorney hired by the investigative committee looking into JEA. Mousa said Curry never said at any time that he was going to sell JEA. One JEA employee was reprimanded for leaking some confidential documents to City Council members and JEA has made changes in how those documents are stored.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The firm leading the search for JEA’s next chief executive officer has narrowed the list of candidates down to six semi-finalists. The semi-finalists include:Elaina Ball , the interim chief operating officer for El Paso Electric in El Paso, Texas, who previously served as chief operating officer for Austin Energy in Austin, Texas. John Hairston , the chief operating officer for Bonneville Power Administration in Portland, Oregon, whose previous role was the utility’s chief administrative officer. Morgan O’Brien , an industry veteran who previously worked as chief executive officer of Peoples Gas, a natural gas provider in Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Kentucky. These semi-finalists are vying to replace McElroy, the interim chief executive officer who took over after the ouster of former CEO Aaron Zahn.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. The parent of Florida Power & Light would have paid more than $11 billion for JEA had the city-owned utilitys leadership gone through with a scuttled effort to put the utility up for sale. The bonuses executives were going to get were based on false information provided to the board, Diamond said. I dont think the JEA board knew at the time what they were voting on. Instead, the City Council, Civic Council and Unions hijacked the conversation for their own personal benefit. The disparaging and defamatory political rhetoric towards me by JEA, OGC, JEAs counsel and City Council is transparent scapegoating to everyone.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A bill that would have given Jacksonville City Council the power to approve or deny bonus or incentive programs for JEA employees has been withdrawn from consideration. The bill, which had been part of the consent agenda for Tuesday night’s council meeting, basically said any incentive plans going forward would have to be approved by both the JEA Board and the City Council. But Councilman Ron Salem told News4Jax he worked out an agreement with JEA officials instead and decided to withdraw the bill. Despite the ongoing inquiries, the JEA Board of Directors approved a new employee incentive plan in June as part of its budget request to City Council. The previous incentive plan was put on pause for 2020 amid the controversy over the PUP.