Past purchasing director joins trio of Columbus zoo executives facing felonies
A fourth former Columbus Zoo and Aquarium official has been charged with felony counts related to the alleged theft of more than $2.3 million in zoo funds between 2011 and 2021.
Tracy Murnane, the zoo’s former director of purchasing, faces charges of grand theft; complicity in the commission of theft of a motor vehicle; forgery; telecommunications fraud; and filing incomplete, false, and fraudulent returns, according to Ohio Auditor Keith Faber's office.
Murnane is accused of selling personal cars to the zoo using a straw seller and personally profiting, attending special events with tickets purchased by the zoo, and booking a party bus for his son’s wedding with zoo resources, according to the auditor.
Murnane, 65, of Westerville, was linked in previous court documents with former executives Greg Bell, Peter Fingerhut and Tom Stalf — each of whom face felony indictments and court appearances in coming months. Murnane is also charged with misdemeanor counts related to the acquisition of motor vehicles without obtaining certificates of title in his name.
The new charges were filed Thursday in Delaware County Common Pleas Court. An initial hearing for Murnane has yet to be scheduled.
The state auditor's Special Investigations Unit (SIU) and the Ohio Attorney General’s Office conducted a joint criminal investigation and forensic audit of the zoo in April 2021, shortly after a Columbus Dispatch investigation exposed mishandling of funds by the zoo's top leadership.
State investigators found that top officials had used zoo funds for vacations, vehicles, concerts, sporting events, and other acts of personal enrichment, according to the auditor's office.
Stalf, the zoo's former CEO; Bell, chief financial officer; and Fingerhut, the marketing director, were indicted Sept. 18 on multiple criminal counts, including aggravated theft, engaging in a pattern of corrupt activities, telecommunication fraud, money laundering, tampering with records, bribery, conspiracy to engage in a pattern of corrupt activity, and extortion.
Bell has pled guilty to tampering with records, conspiracy to engage in a pattern of corrupt activity and aggravated theft. He is expected to cooperate with prosecutors against his former bosses.
When asked if there could be additional defendants charged, a spokesman for Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost called the investigation ongoing.
According to the charging documents:
Murnane helped Stalf spend $45,000 of zoo funds to buy a 2009 Ford F-53 motor home for his personal use.
In August 2019, Murnane forged a car title or car transfer paperwork for a 1967 Camaro.
In September 2018, Murnane used barter funds for limousine services paid by the zoo, which included a party bus for his son's wedding. Evidence included a photo of the wedding party inside the bus.
Between October 2019 and April 2021, Murnane failed to obtain automobile titles for six vehicles, including three Chevrolet Corvettes. After the vehicles were purchased, Murnane restored them, placed the titles in the name of a third person and split the proceeds with that person once they were sold.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Former Columbus Zoo purchasing director charged in theft scandal
