Columbus Trustee Accused of Misusing $1.1M
COLUMBUS, Ind — A new state report says former Columbus Township Trustee Benjamin Jackson used over a million dollars in taxpayer money for personal trips and purchases, including vacations to Disney World and Abu Dhabi, college tuition for his kids, and even a backyard hot tub.
WISH-TV reports that the Indiana State Board of Accounts discovered Jackson began using the township credit card for personal spending in 2016. By the time he stepped down in November 2023, investigators say he had charged roughly $1.1 million, which accounted for nearly 88 percent of the township office’s total expenses.
Half of that was travel. Jackson took 61 trips using the township’s card, visiting places like Australia, Colorado, and Europe — even buying plane tickets for his adult children. He also bought electronics, fishing gear, coffee machines, and built a deck with an inflatable hot tub.
Starting in 2018, Jackson also took over preparing credit card payments — a job that had belonged to the township’s clerk. After that, the spending spiked: $32,000 in 2018, $138,000 in 2020, and over $200,000 each year after.
Jackson declined to comment through his lawyer.
Kris Weisner, who took over as trustee after Jackson stepped down, said he checked the books right away and found that the public assistance fund wasn’t affected. Still, he’s now giving the board more detailed spending reports and requiring two people to sign off on every check — either himself, his chief deputy, or a board member.
The report has been sent to the Indiana Attorney General, Bartholomew County prosecutors, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Weisner said whether the township can recover any money depends on whether charges are filed.
