COLUMBIA, S.C. — The former CEO of SCANA has pleaded guilty in charges related to the failed VC Summer Nuclear project.
"This is possibly the most complex investigation in South Carolina's history," U.S. Attorney for the District of South Carolina Peter McCoy said.
McCoy said the former Kevin Marsh's guilty plea in the courtroom shows no one is above the law.
Marsh pleaded guilty to federal charges to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud.
"Today Kevin Marsh admitted that he abused public trust for the benefit of SCANA in his role as CEO," McCoy said.
Marsh also agreed to pay back $5,000,000 in restitution and is required to fully cooperate with law enforcement until the investigation and prosecution related to VC Summer project is over.
That was the plan to build two nuclear reactors in Fairfield County. But prosecutors said Marsh and others at the company weren't honest with the public about the serious problems with the project that was finally abandoned in 2017.
"The leaders of SCANA had to be truthful and provide regulators to the public with truthful status of the project, this did not happen," Marsh said. "They chose to provide false information so that SCANA was protected so that the project would continue."
News 19 reached out to Dominion Energy, which took over SCANA, and they sent the following statement:
"Dominion Energy continues to cooperate fully with state and federal authorities in this ongoing investigation, pursuant to the terms of our cooperation agreement."