Jurors in Oklahoma City are hearing a fraud case involving Brent Swadley, the owner of Swadley’s Bar-B-Q, who is accused of defrauding the state through his operation of restaurants at state parks during the pandemic. The trial began Monday, May 18, in Oklahoma County District Court.
Swadley, 55, faces one count of conspiracy to defraud the state and five counts of presenting fraudulent claims. He denies any wrongdoing, claiming that marking up invoices was standard business practice.
Controversial Pardon Claims
Prosecutors plan to present testimony that Swadley told a state tourism official he had discussed a pardon with Gov. Kevin Stitt.
Court filings indicate:
- Swadley called Ann Wilson six weeks before trial, claiming he spoke to Stitt.
- He reportedly said Stitt told him he could not issue a pardon until Swadley was convicted.
- The testimony is intended to show Swadley’s “consciousness of guilt.”
Gov. Stitt’s office strongly denies any such conversation. Press secretary Tevis Hillis said:
“The Governor has not spoken to Brent Swadley, particularly regarding a pardon that he cannot unilaterally issue.”
Swadley himself also denied the claim in a media interview:
“Oh, absolutely not. Absolutely not.”
Background on Swadley’s Operations
Swadley opened multiple restaurants at six state parks under the name Swadley’s Foggy Bottom Kitchen.
| Restaurant Details | Information |
|---|---|
| First restaurant | 2020, during the pandemic |
| Last restaurant | 2022 |
| Scope of renovation | Extensive remodeling of existing locations |
| Termination of agreement | Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department canceled in April 2022 citing “suspected fraudulent activity and questionable business practices” |
Swadley defended his actions, saying the locations were in poor condition and that his team rebuilt four restaurants in 96 days while complying with regulations.
“We pulled off the impossible…We built four restaurants in 96 days, because I have a lot of good people, contractors and vendors that work for me, and we pulled off the impossible and still followed code,” he said.
Additional Testimony and Co-defendants
Two former employees, Timothy Raymond Hooper and Curtis Ray Breuklander, are cooperating with prosecutors and will testify against Swadley at trial.
Prosecutors argue that fraudulent invoices submitted by Swadley cheated the state out of millions of dollars, while Swadley maintains his business practices were legitimate and within industry norms.
The trial is ongoing, and jurors will weigh testimony regarding both Swadley’s financial conduct and his alleged comments about a pardon.
