A former Major League Baseball player and his wife have been charged with fraud after allegedly deceiving families out of around $60,000 through a baseball training programme. Richard Butler, aged 53, and Michelle Butler, aged 52, are facing multiple legal allegations in Canadian court, as confirmed by the Durham Regional Police.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(jpeg)/Richard-Butler-Michele-Butler-102126-0add2fdaee514210990b782d02f4ab69.jpg)
The couple is accused of running the Ontario Devil Rays baseball training programme, for which parents had registered their children and paid the required fees for the upcoming 2025-2026 season. According to police reports, between April and October 2025, approximately $60,000 was deposited into the programme’s bank account. It is alleged that these funds were subsequently transferred to individual accounts belonging to Richard and Michelle Butler, rather than being utilised for the coaching and training services promised.
Authorities stated that the training services that were supposed to be provided under the Ontario Devil Rays organisation never materialised. “Investigators allege the funds were not used for the training programme, and the services initially agreed upon were not delivered,” Durham police noted in their statement regarding the case.
Families involved were misled when they received an email on 19 October 2025, in which they were informed the organisation was dissolving due to financial difficulties and claimed bankruptcy. However, police investigations indicated that no formal bankruptcy proceedings had been initiated, and that the email had unjustly referenced an attorney’s name without their consent.
In addition to the fraud charges amounting to over $5,000, both Richard and Michelle Butler are also charged with possession of property obtained through criminal means exceeding the same amount, as well as the act of uttering a forged document. Authorities have suggested that there may be additional victims who have yet to come forward.
Richard Butler, a Canadian native, had a brief but notable career in Major League Baseball, participating in 86 games as an outfielder during parts of three seasons with the Toronto Blue Jays and the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, between 1997 and 1999. His past in professional sports has drawn interest and scrutiny to the current allegations facing him and his wife.
As this case unfolds, it remains unclear if the Butlers have entered a plea regarding the charges. The situation continues to develop, and police are urging anyone who may have been affected to reach out with information.
The Durham Regional Police have committed to thorough investigations as they look into the operation of the baseball training programme and the financial transactions associated with it. Interested parties are encouraged to follow updates as more details arise in this troubling matter involving trust and betrayal within a community initiative aimed at youth sports development.