FBI names new agent in charge for Cincinnati office

CINCINNATI (AP) — The Cincinnati office of the FBI has a new leader, who will oversee the biggest public corruption investigation in Ohio history. J. William Rivers was named to the post Monday. He succeeds Chris Hoffman, who has retired. In his new job, Rivers will oversee FBI operations in the southern half of Ohio, including Columbus, Cincinnati and Dayton. The office’s public corruption team has been probing an alleged $60 million bribery scheme in which FirstEnergy Corp. reputedly paid former Republican Speaker Larry Householder to orchestrate the passage of a $1 billion bailout of two nuclear plants owned by its then-subsidiary and to squelch a repeal effort. Householder denies any wrongdoing.