COLUMBUS, Ohio — Both the whistleblower and the startup investment firm she accused of corruption testified during the trial regarding the alleged scandal inside the retired teachers' pension fund board.

Franklin County Court of Common Pleas Judge Karen Held Phipps is set to decide whether or not she should remove State Teachers Retirement System (STRS) board chair Rudy Fichtenbaum from his position, and if he and former board member Wade Steen should be banned from ever returning to public pensions.

The scandal centers on Steen and Fichtenbaum and their relationship with startup investment firm QED Technologies, run by former Ohio Deputy Treasurer Seth Metcalf and Jonathan (JD) Tremmel.

This case began with a whistleblower letter sent to government officials in May of 2024. That month,

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