The former president of Freedom
Industries was charged with two additional fraud counts in a 14-count superseding
indictment in connection with last year’s chemical spill that created a
water-contamination emergency.
The original indictment cited Gary
Southern and three other Freedom officials for allegedly violated the federal
environmental laws in the operation of the tank farm. Those included violations
of the federal Clean Water Act and the federal Refuse Act.
While one count in the original
indictment was dropped, the new charges allege Southern had a $6.5 million
personal check deposited on Feb. 7, 2014, as part of a scheme to defraud the
government in Freedom’s bankruptcy case. The second charge alleges Southern
approved a false statement that did not list him as an officer of Freedom
Industries.
The superseding indictment means
all the defendants—including Southern and former owners William Tis, Charles
Herzing and Dennis Farrell—must be re-arraigned on the charges.
