Bell is the son of former zoo chief financial officer Greg Bell, who previously pleaded guilty to 14 felony charges connected to the investigation, including aggravated theft, conspiracy and tampering with records. Greg Bell is scheduled to be sentenced Sept. 19.
The two Bells were charged along with former zoo CEO Tom Stalf, former Marketing Director Pete Fingerhut and former zoo purchasing agent Tracy Murnane.
Stalf was charged with 36 felonies and is scheduled to go to trial on Aug. 6.
Fingerhut and Murnane both pleaded guilty to charges, Fingerhut to 16 felonies and one misdemeanor, and Murnane to six felony charges and two misdemeanors.
As part of a plea deal, Fingerhut agreed to pay more than $675,000 in restitution to the zoo along with back taxes to the state and to the IRS, the attorney general’s office said.
Murnane also reached a plea agreement to pay $90,000 in restitution, according to WBNS in Columbus.
Both are scheduled to be sentenced Sept. 23.
The group is alleged to have defrauded the zoo of more than $2.29 million, using the funds for vacations, vehicles, concerts, sporting events and other personal expenses from 2011 to 2021, according to the state attorney general’s office, citing a joint investigation with the Auditor of State’s Special Investigations Unit.
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