Mark Green, the former superintendent of Columbia City Parks and Recreation, found himself in hot water after being caught red-handed siphoning off city funds for his personal indulgence in baseball cards. This extravagant hobby didn’t come cheap, as Green managed to pocket over $240,000 from the city’s coffers to fuel his collection.
Mayor Ryan Daniel of Columbia City initiated an investigation in March 2023 upon detecting suspicious financial transactions. Collaborating with several authorities, including the Whitley County Prosecutor’s Office, Indiana State Police, and the Indiana State Board of Accounts, the inquiry unraveled Green’s fraudulent activities leading to his subsequent termination.
Court documents painted a stark picture of Green’s illicit spending spree, revealing his penchant for splurging on baseball cards from ‘Sport Spot’ using the city’s credit card. The former superintendent went a step further by selling some of the cards on eBay, adding insult to injury. Eventually, Green confessed to utilizing city funds in an unauthorized manner for his hobby.
Initially facing a slew of charges including corrupt business influence, theft, and official misconduct, Green struck a deal in April 2024. In a plea agreement, he admitted guilt to one count of theft, resulting in the dismissal of all other charges. The agreement mandated Green to reimburse a substantial sum of $275,628, with $100,000 allocated to a bond company and the remaining $175,628 earmarked for the city’s treasury.
With the sentencing looming, Green’s fate was sealed as the court handed down a three-year sentence. The former superintendent faces the prospect of spending the initial year behind bars or on work release, followed by a two-year probationary period. The case shed light on alarming lapses in financial oversight within Columbia City’s Parks and Recreation Department, triggering demands for stringent controls to prevent such mishaps in the future.
