Final report published the theft scandal from Columbus Zoo

Columbus, Ohio (Wsyx) – The state of the state of Ohio, Keith Faber, sent his final report on the theft scandal on Tuesday with members of the Columbus Zoo Executive Leadership team for several years.

Last year, the former CEO Tom Stalf was sentenced to seven years in prison, the former marketing director Pete Fingerhut was sentenced to five years, the former CFO Greg Bell received a three -year prison sentence and the former shopping agent Tracy Maurnane was convicted of two months in the Delaware County prison.

The sentences interrupted for a multi-year misappropriation scandal that cheated on the zoo of more than $ 2 million. Stlf, Bell and Tayow were accused of entering into concert and World Series tickets, golf memberships, lush holidays and money briefings by zoo sellers, and then manipulated to the finances of the zoo to hide the business from 2021.

When it comes to media availability on Tuesday, Faber said that the zoo was on the right track because it recovered from the scandal.

“We are confident that the zoo made the necessary changes to put this scheme behind us,” he said.

Faber said the director of the zoo had paid more attention at that time and more involved in the supervision. In fact, his investigators initially tried to accuse board members.

“When we carried out the investigation, we actually thought that some of the board members had to blame,” said Faber.

“Of course they should have given a bigger one; they should have had better controls, but that was not a criminal violation.”

The zoo is partially financed by a Franklin County Levy that runs this year. Tom Schmid, the CEO of the zoo, said the plan would put a renewal levy on the ballot. He said that surveys show that the patrons of the scandal are very aware of, but he feels in a forgiving mood.

“Our residents can understand that there is a difference between the four boys who are now in prison and what happens in the zoo today,” he said.