2 CHARGED IN SWADLEY’S INVESTIGATION TURN THEMSELVES IN TO OCDC

Brent Swadley and Timothy Hooper(News 9)

Swadely’s owner Brent Swadley and Timothy Hooper turned themselves in at the Oklahoma County Detention Center, on Tuesday.

The two men along with Curtis Breuklander are accused of making fake invoices to overcharge the state for operations at Swadley’s Foggy Bottom Kitchen at state parks from October 2019 to April 2022.

Documents show the state paid Swadely’s $17 million to manage those restaurants from April 2020 to February 2022.

The OSBI began investigating the restaurants in March 2022, the next month the State cut ties with Swadley’s because of suspected “fraudulent activity”.

The three men were then indicted by a grand jury Thursday.

Swadley’s denies the accusations and says the investigation is politically motivated.

Attorney General Gentner Drummond will represent the state in the case moving forward.

Grand Jury Indicts 3 In Swadley’s Contract Investigation

A multi-county Grand Jury has indicted three men for conspiracy to defraud the state and other claims that stem from Swadley’s Bar-B-Q contract with the Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department, according to a release from Attorney General Gentner Drummond.

On Thursday, Ronald Brent Swadley, Curtis Ray Breuklander, and Timothy Raymond Hooper were charged with one felony count of conspiracy to defraud the state and five felony counts of presenting false or fraudulent claims against the state.

Drummond said the men will be prosecuted by his office on behalf of the people of Oklahoma.

Prosecutors said that Swadley’s Foggy Bottom Kitchen presented false invoices to the Tourism Department for payment of public funds, and they worked with a restaurant supplier to fabricate invoices with inflated amounts.

The news release said that an additional 30% was allegedly added to a fabricated invoice for two used food smokers.

According to the indictment, separate sets of invoices were maintained by Swadley’s Foggy Bottom Kitchen.

One set contained original invoices received and paid by the company, and the other set contained fraudulent invoices billed to the Tourism Department.

The indictment alleges the conspiracy to defraud the State began in October 2019 until the contract was canceled in 2022.

The attorney for Brent Swadley released a statement Thursday.

“We absolutely deny any wrongdoing. We are going to rely on 12 people to make the right decision. Swadley’s stepped up to the plate for Oklahoma when no one else in the State would.”

Mack Martin – Attorney for Brent Swadley

A statement was also released from the Swadley Family:

“This is sadly a legal dispute that keeps escalating. The question remains why the State will not answer the 12 questions we submitted to them. Please remember, there are always two sides to every story – especially a story as politicized as this. As the Attorney General’s Office stated: “Every individual indicted is presumed innocent unless and until convicted in a court of law.” We hope someday all the political endgames will cease in this devastating ordeal to my family and business.

We sincerely ask for your prayers in this David vs Goliath battle and thank you for continuing to show your support.”

News 9 and News On 6 political analyst Scott Mitchell talked with Swadley’s civil attorney, Bryan King with Fellers Snider: