Ben Shoulders, a once-respected figure as the former Vanderburgh County Commissioner, now finds himself embroiled in a scandal involving the alleged misuse of campaign funds. The accusations point to Shoulders using over $41,000 from his “Shoulders for Commissioner” account to acquire valuable baseball cards, with some purchases camouflaged under misleading labels on official campaign finance reports.
The trail of suspicious transactions led investigators to uncover a $235 Johnny Bench rookie card and a $570 Satchel Paige card, erroneously described as “signs” and “banner” expenditures in Shoulders’ financial documentation. While his spending habits appeared legitimate for the most part, it was the peculiar entries for high-priced baseball and even Pokémon cards, marked as miscellaneous items like “signs,” that caused alarm bells to ring within the investigation.
The case took a peculiar turn when Shoulders voluntarily contacted the Evansville Police Department in October 2023, reporting fraudulent activities on his campaign account. Claiming to have misplaced his debit card earlier in the year, he disavowed any knowledge regarding the transactions made between May and August. However, discrepancies emerged upon closer scrutiny, revealing that Shoulders was the sole authorized user of the account and that purchases persisted post the reported lost card incident.
A digital paper trail of emails exposed multiple orders placed on eBay for rare baseball cards, including coveted editions like the 1965 and 1967 Mickey Mantle cards, alongside a 1966 Willie Mays card – all shipments directed to Shoulders’ residence. It was confirmed that these acquisitions were funded through Shoulders’ campaign account, raising further questions about the legitimacy of his financial practices.
Documents also unveiled an attempt by Shoulders to seek reimbursement exceeding $26,000 from Old National Bank’s fraud department for the contested charges, a request that was promptly turned down. Within a month following this failed endeavor, Shoulders tendered his resignation as commissioner, expressing gratitude for the opportunity to have served the county in a public capacity.
Subsequently arrested and charged with various offenses such as attempted fraud and filing a false report, Shoulders was released on a $500 bond pending his initial court appearance. The probe into his financial affairs also disclosed irregularities related to checks labeled as charitable contributions but redirected to a business account under Shoulders’ control, further adding to the web of deceit woven around his actions.
The unfolding saga of Ben Shoulders serves as a cautionary tale, illustrating the pitfalls of betraying public trust and the potential repercussions of financial misconduct in a position of authority. The once esteemed commissioner’s fall from grace underscores the importance of transparency and ethical stewardship in the realm of political governance.
