Former Hall of Fame Director Arrested for Misusing Funds

0:00It's April 6th. You're listening to Birmingham News today, AI-powered local news. A 67-year-old former executive director of the Motorsports Hall of Fame Commission got arrested this week in Talladega County, Alabama. Michael Ryder faces charges for using his official position for personal gain, according to jail records and a grand jury indictment. That commission runs the International Motorsports Hall of Fame, and this bus comes right after a state audit exposed major financial headaches. From October 2019 through September 2024, auditors found weak internal controls, missing funds, and sloppy documentation on transactions. The audit dug up over $236,000 in question cash, mostly tied to a former accounts manager, including cash vanishing, from the gift shop and museum sales. Officials say the commission straight up failed to set policies for tracking and protecting public money. Ryder recently worked as a regional director for U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville, and spent

1:01more than 20 years as a sports reporter in Birmingham. No word yet on whether his charges linked directly to those audit red flags. As investigators piece this together, expect more updates on how deep these money troubles run at the Hall of Fame.