Former Columbus Zoo Executives Sentenced for Skimming $2.3 Million in Financial Scandal

The curtain has closed on a sordid saga at the Columbus Zoo, with a recent report detailing a menagerie of financial misdeeds by its now-former executives. Ohio State Auditor Keith Faber laid out the extent of the embezzlement in a final report released Tuesday, spotlighting how five former employees managed to skim a cool $2.3 million off the Zoo's back for personal thrills like vacations, vehicles, and VIP tickets to various events.

The scandal unfolded between 2011 and 2021 and didn't just unravel due to diligent bookkeeping. Instead, journalism kick-started it, with the Columbus Dispatch shining the initial light on the dubious financial activities. Following the exposé, Faber's Special Investigations Unit (SIU), alongside the Ohio Attorney General's Office, embarked on a probe that proved to be more twisted and tangled than a viper's nest. The findings included executives' self-serving schemes, including buying tickets to concerts and sporting events, snagging country club memberships, pocketing profits from concealed vehicle sales, and using a recreational vehicle on the Zoo's dime.

At a press conference, Faber didn't mince words, stating, "These crimes were brazen and went on for years." In the aftermath,, criminal convictions were secured, with prison sentences handed down to the quintet of culprits. Moreover, the Auditor voiced his expectations for the Zoo and similar entities: "I expect the Zoo and other nonprofits that receive public funds to continuously review and improve their financial controls to ensure public resources are being used appropriately."

In the wake of the scandal, the zoo has been proactive in cleaning house and shoring up its financial barricades. Columbus Zoo President and CEO Tom Schmid, alongside board chairman Dan Gusty, expressed their shared determination to prevent a sequel to this unfortunate chapter. "By almost any measure, we are a stronger institution today. We are better governed, and with new executive leadership in place, we have developed bold plans for a prosperous future for this institution and for wildlife," they echoed in a unified response to the audit, per the auditor's official website.