COLUMBUS — Prosecutors have criminally charged a former Columbus Township Trustee with 18 criminal counts—9 for Theft and 9 for Official Misconduct.
WRTV Investigates reported in May that Benjamin P. Jackson was accused of using the township credit card to rack up $1.1 million in personal expenses, including alcohol, meals, groceries, home improvement, cannabis, travel and school tuition.
No hearing date has been set for the criminal case, as the case is awaiting assignment of a special judge.
WRTV Investigates has reached out to Jackson for comment. No attorney is listed for him.
Benjamin P. Jackson served as the trustee from July 1, 2013, until he resigned on November 22, 2024, amid an investigation by Indiana State Police and SBOA.
Records show Jackson used the township credit card for personal expenses from 2016 through 2024.
According to court documents filed by prosecutors, personal expenses incurred by Jackson of $1,123,334.27 by year were as follows:
- 2016 - $529.64
- 2017 - $8,205.83
- 2018 - $31,756.00
- 2019 - $92,668.48
- 2020 - $138,020.63
- 2021 - $208,242.30
- 2022 - $183,446.13
- 2023 - $253,296.05
- 2024 - $207,169.21
The SBOA further categorized the $1,123,334.27 in personal expenses by category as follows:
- Travel - $657,831.46
- Retail - $150,078.95
- Tuition/School - $90,915.97
- Utilities - $39,913.97
- Meals - $31,306.65
- Vehicle - $27,036.76
- Grocery - $23,596.69
- Home Improvement -$18,990.65
- Health - $16,487.08
- Entertainment - $15,002.97
- Subscriptions - $13,689.98
- Fuel - $12,814.45
- Personal Services - $5,164.81
- Mailing - $4,806.47
- Gift Cards - $3,735.00
- Conferences - $1,980.81
- Taxes - $1,969.23
- Alcohol - $1,816.34
- Dry Cleaning - $1,401.23
- Cannabis - $1,124.56
- Pet - $1,119.89
- Cosmetic - $1,079.72
- Fees/Interest - $960.73
- Phone - $509.90
According to the 51-page audit, SBOA received an anonymous tip in October 2024 regarding Jackson misusing the township credit card.
Some of the travel expenses include trips to the spa, alcohol, hotel/resort, airfare, and entertainment to locations like Disney World, San Diego, Miami, Germany and Australia.
“Benjamin Jackson was interviewed during the investigation and admitted to knowingly and intentionally depriving the township of funds for personal expenses,” ISP Detective Craig Starr wrote in a probable cause affidavit. “Benjamin Jackson said during the interview that he knew what he was doing was illegal and did not have any idea how much money he had taken.”
The audit found Jackson charged travel expenses for his wife and three adult children on the township credit card.
They are not criminally charged.
When interviewed in December 2024 by SBOA and ISP, Jackson said no other employee would review the credit card statements.
“Jackson provided that in January of 2020, he lied to Township employees that he was a keynote speaker at a homelessness conference in Australia,” read the audit. “He confirmed that there was no conference that he attended. When asked, Jackson said he took the trip because he wanted to visit Australia.”
SBOA noted a lack of internal controls within the township, including the lack of another employee reviewing Jackson’s credit card purchases.
“This allowed Jackson to make personal purchases on the credit card without being detected,” read the audit.
The township has updated its internal controls as of May 14, 2025, including:
- Trustee, Chief Deputy and Fire Chief must maintain records of monthly charges via document showing dates and reasons and items purchased and present these documents to the Trustee for review
- These documents are then presented to the Clerk to reconcile with credit card statements. These records are then copied and presented to the board members with the financial report during the next monthly meeting.
