---
schema_version: "secwatch.filing_event.v1"
accession: "0000004904-25-000015"
form_type: "8-K"
ticker: "AEP"
cik: "0000004904"
company_name: "AMERICAN ELECTRIC POWER CO INC"
filed_at: "2025-01-17T23:59:59+00:00"
generated_at: "2026-05-27T23:33:12.707585+00:00"
event_type: "regulatory"
sentiment: "negative"
materiality_score: 0.5
calibrated_materiality_score: 0.5
confidence: "high"
source: SEC EDGAR
---

# AEP settles SEC probe over Ohio HB6 dark money; pays $19M penalty, agrees to cease-and-desist

## Summary
- AEP agreed to pay $19M civil penalty and cease-and-desist order for misleading statements and internal control failures related to Empowering Ohio and Generation Now.
- SEC found AEP formed, fully funded, and controlled 501(c)(4) Empowering Ohio; directed $1.2M in contributions to Generation Now, tied to former Ohio Speaker Larry Householder.
- AEP's July 2020 press release claiming it made no contributions to Generation Now was misleading; stock dropped 10% that day.
- AEP failed to disclose payments to Empowering Ohio as related-party transactions in 2019 Form 10-K and lacked adequate internal accounting controls.
- Penalty of $19M was already accrued in Q3 2024; AEP fully cooperated with SEC investigation.

## SEC filing metadata
- accession: 0000004904-25-000015
- form_type: 8-K
- ticker: AEP
- cik: 0000004904
- company_name: AMERICAN ELECTRIC POWER CO INC
- filed_at: 2025-01-17T23:59:59+00:00
- event_type: regulatory
- sentiment: negative
- materiality_score: 0.5
- calibrated_materiality_score: 0.5
- confidence: high
- sec_items: 8.01, 9.01
- EDGAR index: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/4904/000000490425000015/0000004904-25-000015-index.htm
- EDGAR primary document: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/4904/000000490425000015/aep-20250117.htm

## Machine-readable alternates
- HTML: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0000004904-25-000015
- JSON: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0000004904-25-000015.json
- Plain text: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0000004904-25-000015.txt

This AI-assisted summary is a reading aid. Review the linked SEC EDGAR filing before relying on any specific claim.