close
close

houdoebrabant

NL News 2024

Fifth former Ohio Zoo employee charged in .3 million scandal
powertid

Fifth former Ohio Zoo employee charged in $2.3 million scandal

Watch the video above to see previous coverage of the zoo fraud trial.

DELAWARE, Ohio (WCMH) — A fifth suspect in the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium fraud scandal was charged Friday with theft in an ongoing investigation into $2.3 million in stolen funds.


Grant Bell, a former zoo purchasing assistant and the son of former CFO Greg Bell, was charged with a fifth-degree felony in Delaware County Common Pleas Court. Bell is the final defendant in the case, according to a press release from Attorney General Dave Yost.

Bell’s complaint was filed as part of an informational charge, which is a formal accusation of a crime. It serves the same function as a grand jury indictment, Yost said. The informational charge alleged that Bell was involved with between $1,000 and $7,000 of the total stolen funds.

This is the lowest number of charges anyone involved in the investigation has faced. Three of the other four suspects have already pleaded guilty, with only former zoo director Tom Stalf, who faces 36 felony charges, still awaiting trial. He is due in court on August 6.

Bell worked closely with Tracy Murnane, a former purchasing agent for the zoo who pleaded guilty to six felonies and two misdemeanors, Yost said. Greg Bell pleaded guilty to 14 misdemeanor charges. He agreed to repay the zoo $132,000 in a 2022 settlement agreement and Stalf $400,000.

No date has yet been set for Grant Bell’s arraignment.