Two Former GOP Utah Attorneys General Arrested In Corruption Case

Former Utah Attorneys General John Swallow (left) and Mark Shurtleff were arrested on July 15, 2014.
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Two former Utah attorneys general, John Swallow (R) and Mark Shurtleff (R), were arrested in a long-running corruption case on Tuesday morning.

Shurtleff has been charged with three counts of bribery, one count of obstruction of justice, one count of witness tampering, one count of evidence tampering and one count of unlawful acts, according to the Salt Lake County jail’s website, Swallow has been charged with two felony counts of bribery, one count of false or inconsistent statements, one count of false government records and one count of unlawful acts.

According to the Deseret News, the allegations surrounding Swallow and Shurtlefff center on their relationship with a Utah businessman, Jeremy Johnson. Shurtleff allegedly used Johnson’s private plane to fly to a California fundraiser and to fly to New York to meet with actor Vincent D’Onofrio. Swallow allegedly stayed on Johnson’s houseboat and borrowed his Ferrari.

Federal and state law enforcement searched Swallow and Shurtleff’s homes in June amid a probe into the state attorney general’s office. Swallow had followed Shurtleff in the office, but resigned last year amid several federal and local investigations.

Authorities have been investigating possible bribery, obstruction of justice and misuse of public funds.

Photos: John Swallow (left) and Mark Shurtleff were booked into the Salt Lake County jail.

This post has been updated.

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