Mark Green, the former superintendent of Columbia City Parks and Recreation, recently faced the consequences of his illegal actions as he was sentenced to three years for embezzling over $240,000 from city funds. This misappropriation of public money came to light when Columbia City Mayor Ryan Daniel initiated an investigation in March 2023 after unusual financial transactions raised red flags.
Collaborating with the Whitley County Prosecutor’s Office, Indiana State Police, and the Indiana State Board of Accounts, the investigation uncovered Green’s deceitful actions, leading to his prompt termination from his position. Shockingly, court documents divulged that Green splurged approximately $246,000 on baseball cards from a store called ‘Sport Spot’ utilizing the city’s credit card. Subsequently, he proceeded to sell some of these cards on eBay, eventually confessing to the unauthorized use of city funds for his personal gain.
Initially facing a daunting array of charges – including four counts of corrupt business influence, four counts of theft, and one count of official misconduct – Green chose to plead guilty in April 2024 to a single count of theft as part of a plea agreement. This deal resulted in the dismissal of all other charges, requiring Green to repay a total of $275,628. This restitution entailed $100,000 to a bond company and the remaining $175,628 to the city.
Green’s sentencing took place recently, where the court handed down a three-year sentence with the initial year potentially being served in jail or through work release, followed by two years of probation. The outcome of this case has shed light on severe deficiencies in financial oversight within Columbia City’s Parks and Recreation Department, emphasizing the urgent need for enhanced controls and monitoring mechanisms to prevent similar incidents in the future.
