According to several news reports out of Evansville, former Vanderburgh County Commissioner Ben Shoulders, 45, was arrested on felony fraud charges following a year-long investigation.

Authorities revealed that Shoulders faces charges of attempted fraud on a financial institution, two counts of filing a fraudulent election report, and additional misdemeanor charges. He was detained Wednesday afternoon with a bond set at $500.

The investigation began in October 2023, when Shoulders, a Democrat, reported fraudulent eBay purchases linked to his campaign bank account. Evansville Police Department spokesperson Sgt. Trudy Day stated that detectives reviewed financial records, campaign donations, and cell phone data, identifying significant discrepancies.

They uncovered that donations listed as given to local non-profits never materialized. Additionally, sports memorabilia purchases that Shoulders claimed were unauthorized had been delivered to his residence. Funds from cashed checks also reportedly ended up in an account under Shoulders’ name.

Detectives also found that campaign funds allegedly went towards sports season tickets and other personal items. In one instance, $3,000 listed as a “sponsorship” with Indiana University was reportedly spent on basketball tickets.

Shoulders resigned from the Vanderburgh County Commission earlier this year, citing a private sector job opportunity at American Structurepoint. Previously, he worked at Banterra Bank in commercial lending. His resignation left his commissioner seat open for election, which Democrat Mike Goebel has since won.

According to the American Structurepoint website, “Shoulders joined the American Structurepoint business development team after eight years of public service as a Vanderburgh County commissioner.”

Reflecting on his public service career, Shoulders expressed gratitude for the support he received since launching his first campaign in 2015, calling his time as a commissioner a memorable experience.