The Oregon Department of Justice announced today that Ryan Tong, a former Orangetheory Fitness coach, has pleaded guilty in Multnomah County Circuit Court to multiple felony charges for diverting charitable donations for his personal use. The case was investigated with assistance from the ODOJ’s Charitable Activities Section and prosecuted by the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office.
“People trusted that when they donated during those workout classes, their money would go to charitable causes they cared about,” said Assistant Attorney General Heather Weigler. “Mr. Tong abused that trust for his personal gain. Our team at ODOJ worked hand-in-hand with the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office to hold the instructor accountable and help ensure that those donors’ intent is honored by directing restitution to charitable causes.”
ODOJ’s Charitable Activities Section investigates and monitors nonprofits and fundraising activities to ensure donations are used as promised. In this case, they provided forensic accounting and investigative support that helped uncover how the donations were collected and misused. 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. The District Attorney’s office adds that Tong was using the money to fuel his cocaine habit.
“Our main purpose with the resolution of this case is to put charities back in the same position they would be in had Mr. Tong not stolen the money,” said Eric Pickard, Deputy District Attorney with the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office. “His sentence will be focused on him making repayment for restitution and working on work crew until he pays back the more than 24-thousand dollars that we were able to account for regarding his theft.”
The defendant pleaded guilty to:
- Theft in the First Degree by Deception
- Computer Crime Fraud
- Aggravated Theft in the First Degree
ODOJ is pursuing resolution of its civil claims against Tong to prevent his future involvement in Oregon’s charitable sector. ODOJ and the DA’s office say it should be a red flag to consumers if they’re asked to make charitable donations through someone’s personal Venmo account.
Tong’s sentencing is set for February 6th in Multnomah County Circuit Court.
