Records from a JEA insurance firm indicate it has advanced nearly $3 million to defense lawyers representing former CEO Aaron Zahn and CFO Ryan Wannemacher as they fight federal fraud and conspiracy charges, an arrangement the utility objected to years ago and that, unbeknownst to some officials, appears to still be in effect.
A financial ledger the Times-Union obtained in a public-records request describes more than 100 separate payments of varying amounts from the insurance carrier, AEGIS, to seven different law firms, including four that have taken the lead on the defense efforts for Zahn and Wannemacher in federal court. The payments span January 2020 to as recently as last month and range as high as $110,000 for a single month.
It's not clear if AEGIS has already advanced those payments or is preparing to do so.
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