Failed Corpus Christi power plant project's leaders indicted for mail, wire fraud

[TexasTowelie]

CORPUS CHRISTI — Two leaders of a failed project to build a power plant in Corpus Christi have been indicted on allegations they falsified expense reports to pay for airline tickets, country club memberships and other personal expenses.

Former Chase Power CEO John Upchurch and former president Kathleen Smith were indicted last month on mail fraud and wire fraud charges.

The Corpus Christi Caller-Times reports that Chase Power spearheaded the Las Brisas Power Plant project, which would have used petroleum coke from nearby refineries on the Texas Gulf Coast to produce energy. Chase abandoned the project in 2013 shortly after a state judge ordered the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to review a permit it had issued for Las Brisas.

The project faced strong local opposition due to concerns about air pollution.

Read more: http://www.dallasnews.com/news/state/headlines/20150711-failed-corpus-christi-power-plant-project-s-leaders-indicted-for-mail-wire-fraud.ece

[SusanCalvin]

1. Kinda like Capone getting nailed on tax evasion?

I'll take 'em any way I can get 'em.