Ben Shoulders, a former Vanderburgh County Commissioner, is embroiled in a scandal involving the alleged misuse of campaign funds to acquire a collection of high-value baseball cards. The accusations against Shoulders have rocked the community, shedding light on a bizarre case of financial misconduct that has raised eyebrows and sparked an investigation into his actions.
At the center of the controversy is a probable cause affidavit filed in Vanderburgh Circuit Court, which outlines the damning evidence against Shoulders. The document details how Shoulders purportedly used a debit card linked to his “Shoulders for Commissioner” account to make a series of extravagant purchases on eBay, totaling over $41,000. These transactions were allegedly mislabeled on his campaign finance reports in an attempt to conceal their true nature.
Among the items that Shoulders is said to have acquired using campaign funds are notable baseball cards, including a $235 Johnny Bench rookie card and a $570 Satchel Paige card. What makes these purchases particularly egregious is the fact that they were falsely documented as mundane campaign expenses like “signs” and “banner,” effectively disguising the true nature of the expenditures.
While the majority of Shoulders’ reported expenses appeared legitimate, the inclusion of the baseball card purchases and additional transactions for nearly $500 worth of Pokémon cards, also disguised as “signs” at a local store, raised red flags for investigators. These discrepancies ultimately triggered an investigation that would unravel a web of deceit and financial impropriety.
The bizarre saga took an unexpected turn when Shoulders himself contacted the Evansville Police Department in October 2023 to report fraudulent activity on his campaign account. He claimed that his debit card had gone missing around April and professed ignorance about the disputed charges that occurred between May and August. However, further scrutiny uncovered conflicting evidence, including records showing that he was the sole authorized user of the account and that purchases continued even after he reported the card as lost.
Email records proved instrumental in exposing Shoulders’ misdeeds, as they revealed a trail of eBay orders for rare baseball cards, such as 1965 and 1967 Mickey Mantle cards and a 1966 Willie Mays card, all of which were shipped directly to Shoulders’ residence. It became apparent that Shoulders had been using his campaign account as a piggy bank to fuel his burgeoning trading card collection.
To add insult to injury, records indicated that Shoulders had attempted to recoup over $26,000 from Old National Bank’s fraud department under the guise of reimbursing fraudulent charges. However, his request was swiftly rejected. Just one month after this botched endeavor, Shoulders tendered his resignation as commissioner, citing his time in office as “an honor.”
Subsequently, Shoulders found himself in hot water, as he was arrested and slapped with a litany of charges, including attempted fraud and filing a false report. After posting a $500 bond, he awaited an upcoming court appearance with bated breath. The affidavit also brought to light questionable practices involving checks ostensibly marked as charitable donations, which were instead funneled into a business account controlled by none other than Shoulders himself.
The allegations against Ben Shoulders have sent shockwaves through the community, exposing a troubling misuse of public trust and resources for personal gain. As the case unfolds, it serves as a cautionary tale about the perils of unchecked power and the importance of upholding integrity in public service.