The former chief executive officer of the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium was sentenced to 7 years in prison today for his role in a scheme that defrauded the zoo of at least $2.3 million, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost announced.
Tom Stalf had pleaded guilty on July 23 to 15 felonies, including aggravated theft, conspiracy, telecommunications fraud and tampering with records.
“The zoo has long been a crown jewel of Central Ohio, but this pretender stole the jewels right out of that crown,” Yost said. “Cages can hold more than zoo animals.”
As the zoo’s CEO, Stalf took advantage of his position to enrich himself, his family and his friends by scheming to defraud the zoo through a pattern of corrupt activity and lying through financial forms to cover up the wrongdoing.
He and two other former zoo executives – Marketing Director Pete Fingerhut and Chief Financial Officer Greg Bell – were named in a Sept. 18, 2023, indictment, accused of manipulating credit-card and check-authorization forms for more than a decade and using the nonprofit’s public funds for personal use. Since their indictment, two additional former zoo employees were also charged.
The stolen money was spent on lavish times unrelated to the zoo, including suites and tickets to concerts and sporting events; golf memberships; trips to multiple states and foreign countries; meals, beverages and alcohol; and motor vehicles.
In a sentencing memorandum filed with the court, prosecutors suggested that Stalf and his co-conspirators had failed in their fiduciary obligations to the zoo and taxpayers.
“Leaders of charities and nonprofits in Ohio undertake the responsibility to support the charitable missions of the organizations they lead and set an example to the employees they oversee to be stewards of the organization and its assets,” the memo said.
As part of the sentencing, Stalf will be required to pay $315,572.65 in criminal restitution to the Columbus Zoo, state of Ohio and Internal Revenue Service. The amount is in addition to $400,000 in restitution that was already been paid on his behalf.
Of the four others charged in the scheme, all but Fingerhut have been sentenced:
- Greg Bell was sentenced to three years in prison and ordered to pay $583,697.44 in criminal restitution.
- Former purchasing agent Tracy Murnane was sentenced to 60 days in jail and three years of probation. Murnane paid $101,000 in civil and criminal restitution.
- Grant Bell, a former purchasing assistant and the son of Greg Bell, pleaded guilty and was sentenced to two years of probation and ordered to pay $8,554.61 in criminal restitution.
- Fingerhut, who pleaded guilty on July 2, is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 28
The Ohio Attorney General’s Special Prosecutions Section led the prosecution at the request of Delaware County Prosecutor Melissa Schiffel. The Ohio Auditor’s Office assisted with the investigation and prosecution.
