Former JEA CEO Aaron Zahn walks into federal court with his wife, Mary Branan Ennis Zahn, on March 12, 2024. Zahn faces conspiracy and fraud charges from his tenure as CEO of the public utility. | Will Brown, Jacksonville TodayFormer JEA CEO Aaron Zahn walks into federal court with his wife, Mary Branan Ennis Zahn, on March 12, 2024. Zahn faces conspiracy and fraud charges from his tenure as CEO of the public utility. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
Former JEA CEO Aaron Zahn walks into federal court with his wife, Mary Branan Ennis Zahn, on March 12, 2024. Zahn faces conspiracy and fraud charges from his tenure as CEO of the public utility. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today

JEA fraud trial could go to jury soon

Published on March 12, 2024 at 11:15 am

Federal prosecutors rested their case Monday in the criminal trial of former JEA executives Aaron Zahn and Ryan Wannemacher, whose defense attorneys opened their portion of the trial by presenting an accounting expert who criticized an auditor’s report at the center of the government’s case.

In the 15th day of testimony and 18th day of the trial overall, the government’s final two witnesses testified that they initially didn’t know that an incentive plan approved by the JEA board in July 2019 could potentially pay tens of millions of dollars in bonuses to Zahn and Wannemacher through a sale of the city-owned utility.

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Former JEA Chief Financial Officer Ryan Wannemacher walks into federal court ahead of his federal trial on conspiracy and fraud charges on Tuesday, March 12, 2024. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today

The case could go to the jury Tuesday or Wednesday.

Lead image: Former JEA CEO Aaron Zahn walks into federal court with his wife, Mary Branan Ennis Zahn, on March 12, 2024. Zahn faces conspiracy and fraud charges from his tenure as CEO of the public utility. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today

Read the rest of this story at the Jacksonville Daily Record, a Jacksonville Today news partner.

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