State investigation: Northeast Ohio ODOT employee submitted false data in application that won $2M

COLUMBUS, Ohio — A state investigation has concluded that an Ohio Department of Transportation engineer entered false information on a federal funding application for a Medina County roundabout project that was eventually awarded $2 million.

The Ohio Inspector General’s Office began its inquiry after receiving a February 2024 complaint alleging that ODOT and the Medina County Engineer’s Office submitted fraudulent information to secure money from a federal program aimed at reducing emissions and congestion.

Investigators found that an ODOT employee edited the report to contain a lower rating, casting traffic as worse than it was known to be. The application was later submitted by the county engineer.

The Inspector General said it is forwarding its report to the U.S. Department of Transp