KANSAS CITY, KAN. ? Jurors in the federal fraud trial of two former Westar Energy Inc. executives failed to reach a verdict after a fifth day of deliberations Thursday and were to return today for more work.

Former Chief Executive David Wittig, 49, and Executive Vice President Douglas Lake, 54, are charged with 40 various fraud counts connected to allegations they tried to loot the largest electric utility in Kansas. Both have denied wrongdoing, saying their actions were approved by the company’s board of directors and publicly reported.

Thursday was the fifth day the jury spent deliberating.

If convicted, the two face prison terms of at least 10 years. In addition, the government wants Wittig to pay $27.9 million and Lake to pay $9.4 million. Those amounts represent money and assets they received while at Westar.

The case is United States of America v. David C. Wittig and Douglas T. Lake, No. 03-cr-40142.