former Ohio State president

Walter Ted Carter Jr., the 17th president of The Ohio State University (2024–2026), resigned on March 7, 2026, following disclosure of an inappropriate relationship with Krisanthe Vlachos, a podcaster seeking public resources for her business ventures. A subsequent internal investigation found that Carter misused his position for nearly two years to improperly secure university and partner resources for Vlachos, violating university policies on ethics, fiscal stewardship, and expenditures. Specific findings include: Carter solicited university employment, space, and technical support for Vlachos, and attempted to secure investments in her business proposals, such as an app for veterans. He leveraged his influence with external partners, including JobsOhio—which approved $60,000 for her podcast—and misled others by falsely claiming university donor support. While he failed to follow policy and attempted to fabricate some travel expenses, university staff and processes successfully blocked most of his attempts to provide her with direct funding, university space, or employment. The report concluded that Carter’s actions betrayed university values and implicated Ohio ethics laws. Senior Vice President Chris Kabourek also resigned in April 2026 due to his role in facilitating these efforts. As of April 2026, the findings were referred to state and federal agencies, including the Ohio Ethics Commission, the Attorney General, and the State Auditor for potential further review. No criminal charges or indictments against Carter have been reported to date.