Greg Bell, the longtime CFO of the nonprofit Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, has been sentenced to three years in Ohio state prison for his role in the theft of nearly $2.3 million over 10 years. In October 2023, he was indicted and pleaded guilty to 12 counts of tampering with evidence and one count of aggravated theft.
His plea agreement includes a restitution payment of $583,697, a $10,000 fine and court costs. He was the first executive involved in this case to receive a sentence and is eligible for release in six months. Additionally, his plea and testimony will be used against his former fellow executives who are also facing charges, according to the court.
Bell is among four zoo executives indicted after an investigation found that zoo funds were misused for personal gain. Former CEO Tom Stalf, former marketing director Pete Fingerhut and former zoo purchasing agent Tracy Murnane were also charged in connection with the investigation launched by the state:
- On July 2, Fingerhut pleaded guilty to 16 felonies and one misdemeanor. As part of the plea agreement, he will pay more than $675,000 in restitution.
- Stalf pleaded guilty to 12 felony counts of tampering with records and single counts of theft by deception, conspiracy and telecommunication fraud and is due for sentencing on October 14.
- Murnane is due for sentencing on September 23.
- Bell’s son, Grant Bell, who worked closely with Murnane at the zoo as a purchasing assistant pleaded guilty to one count of theft in the fraud investigation. He is due in court on September 19.
“The pleas of co-defendants Stalf and Fingerhut became more likely due to the cooperation of this defendant,” said Kasaris, Ohio Attorney General’s office special prosecutor, in court documents.
However, Kasaris didn’t downplay Bell’s role. “The stench that became this criminal enterprise that infected the zoo would not have happened but for the CFO’s involvement within it,” wrote Kasaris in his sentencing memorandum.
The details of the crime include strong-arming business partners, concert “wish lists” and professional sports, among many other details. Fingerhut is accused of threatening harm to a vendor’s relationship with the zoo unless he was personally paid. Other executives, including Greg Bell, are accused of exchanging zoo admission tickets for MLB World Series tickets in 2016.
The Columbus Zoo, according to his LinkedIn profile, is one of only two employers Bell has ever worked for in finance and accounting. Before joining the zoo as a controller in 1991, he worked for Crowe Chizek as a senior audit manager for nearly a decade.
The details of Bell’s actions include:
- Repeatedly used cash from barter accounts — meant for the zoo’s operational expenses — on himself and his children, including for antiques, professional sports tickets, alcoholic beverages and food.
- Bell’s family sent him “wish lists” on his zoo email for concerts at Nationwide Arena and Schottenstein Center.
- Bell’s son lived in a zoo-owned home rent-free.
- Used zoo credit cards for personal purchases.
Failure of financial controls
It’s still unclear how much of a role Bell played in the scheme. His actions indicated no signs of slowing down or whistleblowing on his fellow leaders until his 2021 resignation after a joint investigation and forensic audit by the Ohio Attorney General’s Office and the Auditor of State’s Special Investigations Unit.
However, Bell and his fellow executives entangled their fraud within their business communications, creating a paper trail for their crimes. Some attempts at a coverup by Bell were made, including his indication on official reports that the zoo funds he was spending on his personal life were for advertising or promotional support.
The lack of recognition by the oversight board, as well as a lack of internal whistleblowing given the number of people involved, could possibly identify a failure of proper organizational culture, particularly by leadership, at the zoo.
