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.

The changes were to find a new president and CEO, and the zoo found this in Tom Schmid. Dan Gusty, chairman of the Zoo's board of directors, said it was worth the long and thorough search for Schmid.

“We took a lot of time because we wanted to find the right person … someone who would change our culture and had the personality to be a servant and to restore trust,” said Gusty on Tuesday. “Tom rose very quickly. In his time here as CEO, he really has the organization.”

This story is updated.