A State Board of Accounts audit has found that former Columbus Township Trustee Ben Jackson made hundreds of thousands of dollars in purchases through improper, personal use of a township credit card.

The audit was sparked after tips about improper purchases including travel involving Jackson and his family members.

The audit was released last week. According to the state document, use of the credit card went from just over $1,650 a year in 2013 to just over $271 thousand in 2023. The audit found $1.1 million of Jackson’s personal expenses were made through the card and nearly another $40 thousand in expenses were questionable.

The largest category of expenses was nearly $658 thousand in travel expenses unrelated to township business that included Jackson, his wife and their three adult children. The dozens of trips ranged from visits to Disney World in Florida, to Germany and Abu Dubai and Australia and New Zealand.

The report also documents almost $91 thousand in spending for university expenses for the three children and nearly $40,000 in personal expenses such as utilities and almost $19,000 in home improvements.

Separately, the report also identified more than $17,500 in personal expenses through the township Sams Club credit card.

The state audit calls for Jackson to reimburse more than $1 million in unauthorized expenses as well as reimbursements of nearly $78 thousand from Jackson and his three children jointly.

Jackson resigned last fall after the launch of the investigation. The audit says that information on the purchases have been sent to the Bartholomew County Prosecutor’s Office,, the Indiana Attorney General and the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. A criminal investigation has also been launched by Indiana State Police.

You can read the entire report here: Columbus Township Audit (PDF Download)