OKLAHOMA CITY — Oklahoma barbecue restaurateur Brent Swadley was found guilty Thursday afternoon in Oklahoma County District Court on all six felony counts tied to the long-running Swadley’s Foggy Bottom Kitchen scandal that engulfed the Oklahoma Department of Tourism and Recreation and triggered multiple state investigations.
The convictions mark the most significant legal development yet in one of the most politically damaging contracting scandals of Gov. Kevin Stitt’s first term — a controversy that prompted investigations by the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, the State Auditor’s Office, lawmakers and Attorney General Gentner Drummond’s office.
Swadley was convicted on one count of conspiracy to defraud the state and five counts of presenting false claims against the state, according to Oklahoma County court records.
“Brent Swadley stole millions of dollars from Oklahoma taxpayers, and he will now face the consequences of those actions,” Drummond said in a statement released shortly after the verdict. “During my time as attorney general, I have made it a priority to hold accountable those who cheat the system for personal gain. Today is a win for Oklahoma and for the rule of law.”
Prosecutors alleged Swadley and associates used fabricated or altered invoices tied to state park restaurant renovations and operations under contracts with the Oklahoma Department of Tourism and Recreation. Investigators alleged the company maintained two sets of invoices — one reflecting original costs and another containing inflated amounts billed to the state.
According to prosecutors and court filings, Swadley directed a restaurant equipment supplier to fabricate invoices. Prosecutors alleged invoices involving used smokers were inflated by an additional 30 percent.
The case stemmed from contracts awarded beginning in 2020 for Swadley’s Foggy Bottom Kitchen restaurants to operate inside multiple Oklahoma state parks, including Beavers Bend, Roman Nose, Quartz Mountain and Sequoyah state parks. Questions about spending and oversight erupted publicly in 2022 after whistleblower allegations and a state audit identified weak internal controls and questionable billing practices within the tourism agency.
Drummond said his office began working with the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation on the probe shortly after he took office in January 2023. A Multi-County Grand Jury later indicted Swadley, Curtis Breuklander and Timothy Hooper in February 2024 on conspiracy and fraud charges tied to the tourism contracts.
Earlier in the trial, Breuklander and Hooper entered negotiated guilty pleas. Prosecutors alleged the men participated in preparing or submitting fraudulent billing connected to the tourism contracts.
During the two-week trial, prosecutors called 11 witnesses and introduced 52 exhibits containing hundreds of pages of financial documents supporting the fraud allegations, according to Drummond’s office.
Swadley’s attorneys argued the company committed no criminal wrongdoing and maintained the state still owed the company money tied to the failed state park restaurant partnership. Defense attorneys also challenged the credibility of cooperating witnesses who accepted plea agreements.
The scandal became a political flashpoint during Stitt’s first term, fueling legislative hearings, lawsuits and broader scrutiny over how tourism officials awarded and monitored millions of dollars in state contracts. Swadley’s restaurant operation received approximately $16.7 million from the state before the agreements were terminated in 2022 amid allegations of fraudulent activity and improper bidding.
Swadley faces potential prison time following the felony convictions. Sentencing is scheduled for July 16.
