Federal authorities moving to dismiss charges against deceased McClendon

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) – Federal authorities are seeking to dismiss a charge of bid rigging against Oklahoma energy tycoon Aubrey McClendon, who died in a fiery car crash just hours after the indictment was announced.

The U.S. Department of Justice’s Chicago-based antitrust division filed a motion to dismiss the bid rigging conspiracy indictment on Thursday in federal court in Oklahoma City.

Federal prosecutors alleged the 56-year-old former chief executive of Chesapeake Energy orchestrated a scheme between two large energy companies to decide ahead of time which would win bids on oil and gas landowner leases.

The two large energy companies were not named in the indictment, but McClendon was CEO of Chesapeake during the time the scheme was alleged.

A Justice Department spokesman declined to comment Thursday on the case.

McClendon died in a single-car crash Wednesday in Oklahoma City.