On Monday, September 18th, 2023 the Ohio Attorney General, David Yost, announced the indictment of the Columbus Zoo’s former CEO, Tom Stalf, former Marketing Director Pete Fingerhut, and former Chief Financial Officer Greg Bell for embezzlement of Zoo funds.
“I am very confident that when the allegations are heard by a jury in the court of law, that the jury will agree that these former executives of the Columbus Zoo extorted, conspired, bribed, and stole over two million dollars in public funds,” said Yost.
This case, which has been under investigation for over 20 years, includes a list of charges including extortion, bribery, and embezzlement totaling 89 felony charges and 1 misdemeanor.
“On April 1st, 2001, my office opened an investigation into the Columbus Zoo following reports about Columbus Dispatch that uncovered allegations about misused funds,” said Yost.
At the heart of the indictment are the allegations that Stalf, Bell, and Fingerhut misappropriated zoo funds for personal gain.
“Former CEO Tom Stalf and former director Pete Fingerhut hijacked places of the zoo and colluded with each other to conceal their thievery. Stolen funds were spent on lavish items,” said Yost.
The indictment alleges that Stalf and Fingerhut embezzled a staggering $2.2 million from the Columbus Zoo over the years. This money was intended to support the zoo’s mission of animal conservation and education, but instead, it allegedly went towards their personal extravagances. This includes purchasing tickets to concerts and sports events like the World Series.
“Sweets and tickets for concerts and sporting events, the Ohio State University and the nationwide arena, along with food and liquor tabs totaling thousands of dollars,” said Yost.
According to prosecutors, the accused went to great lengths to hide their illicit activities. They allegedly lied on their tax records and changed financial reporting documents to cover their tracks.
“The defendants also lied on their federal taxes and tampered with numerous internal reporting documents related to credit card authorization at the Zoo knowing the reason provided for expenses were false,” said Yost.
If convicted, Stalf, Bell, and Fingerhut could face penalties ranging from 3 to 11 years in prison for their various charges. As the legal process unfolds, the accused individuals will have the opportunity to defend themselves against these serious charges, but the damage to the reputation of the Columbus Zoo may be lasting.
“In total Stalf, Fingerhut, Bell stole more than $2.2 million from the zoo through a series of deceptive practices,” said Yost.