Ryan Tong, a former Orangetheory Fitness coach, pleaded guilty to multiple felony charges for diverting at least $24,000 in charitable donations for his personal use in the Multnomah County Circuit Court yesterday.
Ex-Orangetheory Trainer Pleads Guilty To Diverting Donations
The Oregon Department of Justice (ODOJ) indicated that, as part of the scheme between 2021 and 2024, Tong told people their workout donations would go to charities and be matched by major companies, but the money was sent to his personal Venmo account and never reached the charities. Assistant Attorney General Heather Weigler said, “Mr. Tong abused that trust for his personal gain.”
Tong abused the trust of donors, leading them to believe their money would go to causes they cared about. In reality, he was using the money to fuel his cocaine habit. Tong pleaded guilty to:
- Theft in the First Degree by Deception
- Computer Crime Fraud
- Aggravated Theft in the First Degree
Eric Pickard, Deputy District Attorney with the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office, said the primary purpose of this case is to put charities back in the same position they would be in had Tong not stolen the money.
His sentence will require restitution, and ODOJ suggests that Tong be assigned to a work crew until he repays the more than $24,000 investigators could account for…