Former Columbus Zoo CFO sentenced to prison for $2.29 million fraud

“Greg Bell has succumbed to the temptation to enrich himself and his family at the expense of the zoo,” Yost said.

As part of his confession, Bell agreed to cooperate with the investigation and testify against other zoo managers.

Bell's charges came as part of an investigation that uncovered a conspiracy by zoo management to use zoo funds for vacations, vehicles, concerts, sporting events and other personal expenses from 2011 to 2021.

He was indicted along with four other zoo officials, including his son Grant Bell, former zoo marketing director Pete Fingerhut, former zoo purchasing officer Tracy Murnane and former zoo CEO Tom Stalf.

Grant Bell was charged with theft in an indictment filed in July in Delaware County Common Pleas Court. According to court records, he pleaded guilty on July 30 and could face up to a year in prison and a fine of up to $2,500. Sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 9.

Fingerhut and Murnane both pleaded guilty to several counts – Fingerhut to 16 counts of a felony and one misdemeanor and Murnane to six counts of a felony and two misdemeanors.

As part of a settlement, Fingerhut agreed to pay the zoo more than $675,000 in damages as well as back taxes to the state and the IRS, the Attorney General's Office said.

According to WBNS in Columbus, Murnane agreed to pay $90,000 in damages as part of a settlement.

The verdict for both is scheduled for September 23.

Stalf also entered into a plea agreement in which he pleaded guilty to 15 counts and agreed to pay $315,572.65 in restitution, in addition to the $400,000 already paid on his behalf in 2021, the Attorney General's Office said. Sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 14.

In Greg Bell's sentencing, prosecutors commented on the consequences of misusing donor funds: “When these assets are misused for the personal benefit of executives and senior staff of a nonprofit organization, particularly a nonprofit organization that receives taxpayer funds, it undermines public confidence in nonprofit organizations in the state and thwarts the goals of those organizations.”