First Brands Group, the auto parts supplier behind Fram oil filters and Anco wiper blades, is closing four Ohio facilities and eliminating 1,267 jobs amid a multi-billion dollar fraud scandal. The company filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy in September 2025 and notified state officials in late February of permanent closures scheduled for April 30.

The closures include the corporate headquarters in Cleveland, where 256 employees will lose their jobs, along with facilities in Greenville, Tiffin, and Bowling Green. The company's founder and former CEO Patrick James, along with his brother Edward, face federal charges including bank fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering conspiracy. Both pleaded not guilty in February.

Potential buyers have withdrawn or narrowed their bids, complicating the company's restructuring efforts. The fraud allegations involve defrauding lenders of billions before the bankruptcy filing. With a trial set for July, the scandal has accelerated the company's operational decline and left hundreds of Ohio workers facing permanent layoffs.