MARION COUNTY GOP CHAIRMAN AND FORMER OHIO INDUSTRIAL COMMISSION EMPLOYEE INDICTED FOR THEFT IN OFFICE

Posted on 10/14/2016

Defendant: John Matthews

Franklin County Prosecutor Ron O’Brien said, “John Matthews is alleged to have engaged in political activity while on state time.”  Prosecutor Ron O’Brien announced that the Franklin County Grand Jury has returned an indictment against John Roger Matthews II, age 50, for one count of Theft in Office (F-4) and one count of Theft (F-5).  It is alleged that between October 9, 2015 through January 21, 2016, Matthews used his personal phone to make phone calls and send text messages of a political nature during work hours.  Matthews was formerly the Director of Claims Support with the Industrial Commission of Ohio, located at 30 W. Spring Street in Columbus, which was a job that required him to not engage in any type of political activity on the job.  Matthews is currently the Chairman for the Marion County Republican Party.  “In January of 2016, the Office of the Ohio Inspector General opened an investigation into the actions of Matthews after receiving an anonymous complaint alleging he was conducting campaign activities during the workday,” O’Brien stated.  “It was later determined that Matthews was compensated by the Industrial Commission of Ohio for the dates and times he claimed to be working for the state of Ohio, when he was in fact using his personal cell phone to conduct political activity during his workday,” O’Brien further stated.