The whistleblower claims that Spire ordered the destruction of documents relating to the interest rate increase

The whistleblower complaint comes from Lew Keathley, who worked in Spire’s regulatory department for almost a decade before leaving the company earlier this month after settling a workplace discrimination case.

Keathley shared the information with regulators at the Missouri Public Service Commission in an email sent Monday. The report was made public on Wednesday.

“On December 12, 2023, I attended a Spire Regulatory Department meeting during which the regulatory team was instructed on how to conceal documents (specifically, to prevent certain documents from being discovered by the PSC),” Keathley said in an email. “The department management said it would also destroy the documents so that they could not be traced; and leaflets and materials presented to the Spire Board of Directors will be hidden.”

“It was also mentioned at the meeting that if these documents were discovered by the PSC, Spire’s claim in the next rate case could be reduced by 50%,” he continued.

Spire declined to be interviewed on Thursday but denied Keathley’s claims, which the company said it takes “very seriously.”

“For clarity, no employee was directed to destroy documents and Spire has all documents referenced by the former employee,” the company said in a statement. “Spire conducted a thorough investigation into the allegations made by the former employee and found them to be without merit. We look forward to providing the Commission with the relevant documents and background to resolve this matter.”

Messages left for Keathley were not returned Thursday.

Beginning in 2015, Keathley held a senior position in Spire’s regulatory department, the part of the company that works with PSC regulators on rate increase applications.

But in recent years, Keathley’s relationship with the company deteriorated, ultimately leading to a workplace discrimination lawsuit he filed last year.

At the heart of the case was Keathley’s allegation that Spire officials in 2020 said he would not be allowed to testify at an upcoming rate review because the company “did not want another middle-aged white man to testify.”

The terms of his recent settlement with the company were not outlined in court filings announcing the agreement earlier this month.

Court documents in the discrimination case show that Keathley had dozens of audio recordings dating from 2022 to 2024 totaling more than 34 hours recorded on his personal iPhone and Apple Watch, as well as on his company iPhone.

In Keathley’s email to the state on Monday, he said he also had an audio recording of the Department of Regulatory Affairs meeting and that Spire claims the recording is confidential. He said that as part of his settlement for leaving Spire, he has until Wednesday to “destroy all documents and recordings” from his time at the company.

The PSC said it could not comment on the matter because the whistleblower’s complaint is currently part of an ongoing investigation. It was not stated whether Keathley’s recording was reversed.

Last week, Spire issued a “notice of intent” to refer the rate case to state officials.