Mark Green, the former superintendent of Columbia City Parks and Recreation, experienced a significant downfall when his embezzlement activities involving over $240,000 of city funds were brought to light. The scheme, which saw him purchasing baseball cards with the misappropriated money, ultimately led to his sentencing to three years, with part of the sentence potentially to be served in jail or on work release.
The unraveling of Green’s criminal actions began when Columbia City Mayor Ryan Daniel initiated an investigation in March 2023 following the detection of suspicious financial transactions. Collaborating closely with the Whitley County Prosecutor’s Office, Indiana State Police, and the Indiana State Board of Accounts, the probe unearthed the extent of Green’s fraudulent activities, resulting in his termination from his position.
Court documents revealed the staggering amount of approximately $246,000 that Green spent on baseball cards from ‘Sport Spot’ using the city’s credit card. To compound matters, he then proceeded to sell some of these ill-gotten cards on eBay, before eventually confessing to the unauthorized use of city funds for these purchases.
Initially facing severe charges including four counts of corrupt business influence, four counts of theft, and one count of official misconduct, Green opted to plead guilty in April 2024 to a single count of theft as part of a plea agreement. This decision led to the dismissal of all other charges, as well as imposing a hefty restitution amount of $275,628, to be repaid to a bond company and the city.
The courtroom served as the stage for Green’s sentencing on Monday, where he received the verdict of serving the first year of his three-year term either in jail or on work release, and the subsequent two years on probation. The consequences of his actions have not only impacted his personal freedom but also shed light on the urgent need for enhanced financial controls within the Columbia City Parks and Recreation Department.
This scandal involving the misappropriation of funds in a public sector organization serves as a stark reminder of the importance of robust oversight mechanisms and ethical conduct in all realms of administration. As the residents of Columbia City reflect on this incident, the call for tighter controls and vigilant monitoring of financial activities in public offices grows louder, aiming to prevent such betrayals of public trust from recurring in the future.
