Republican Ohio State Representative Peter Beck indicted for investment fraud

One of the most powerful Republicans in the Republican-controlled Ohio House of Representatives, Peter Beck, has been indicted for investment fraud:

Ohio Rep. Peter Beck (R-Mason) was indicted on 16 felony charges in an investment fraud case Friday afternoon and faces a maximum 102 years in prison if convicted.

A second indictment charged John Fussner with seven felony counts. Fussner faces up to 43 years in prison.

They are accused of bilking more than $200,000 from investors in Christopher Technologies, a start-up software company. Beck, a certified public accountant, was CTech's chief financial officer and Fussner was president.

Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine and Hamilton County Prosecutor Joe Deters announced the indictments at a news conference Friday afternoon.

Beck is in the Republican leadership in the Ohio House of Representatives, as he is the chairman the Ohio House Ways and Means Committee.

The fact that Republicans in the Ohio House of Representatives have an alleged fraudster chairing one of the state house committees proves once again that the Ohio GOP does not have the interests of Ohioans at heart. Peter Beck should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.