CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A West Virginia executive faces charges of lying to protect his personal wealth from lawsuits after his company spilled chemicals into 300,000 people’s water supply in January, according to a criminal complaint Monday.
The complaint unsealed Monday in U.S. District Court charges Freedom Industries president Gary Southern with bankruptcy fraud, wire fraud and lying under oath.
In a sworn affidavit, FBI Special Agent James F. Lafferty II testified that Southern downplayed his role with Freedom on the stand in U.S. Bankruptcy Court multiple times. Lafferty says he made similar claims to workplace safety regulators.
The filing states Southern is trying to protect his net worth of at least $7.7 million from dozens of lawsuits already filed over the spill and any potential new ones creditors may introduce.
