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Ryan Tong, head coach of the Slabtown OrangeTheory fitness studio who is accused of holding fundraisers for charity and pocketing the money, has been fired, according to an email sent to studio members this morning.
“Despite opportunities to show us the donations were made and representations by the employee that he would provide us with documentation, he failed to do so, and his employment has been terminated,” reads the email, which is signed by Honors Holdings LLC, the Atlanta-based owners of the Slabtown franchise.
Ryan Tong—or, as he was known at OrangeTheory Fitness Slabtown, “Coach RyRy”—solicited donations for years to local nonprofits through Venmo during special 90-minute charity classes held on Sundays. The donations, Tong said, would be matched by local companies like Nike and Adidas. (Tong has not responded to WW’s requests for comment.)
But Tong’s story fell apart after studio members, including the board member of one of those nonprofits, began asking questions. Daniel Borgen, a member of the board of Cascade AIDS Project, ultimately filed a police report in April after he says he heard from multiple charities that they’d never received the money.
Borgen’s revelation kicked off a monthslong search, first by studio members and then the franchise’s corporate office, to track down the missing money. A Portland police investigation is ongoing.
Ultimately, the company estimates, $12,000 remains unaccounted for. According to the email sent this morning, donors will be reimbursed and the company will write $1,000 checks to 17 different nonprofits.
Borgen thinks the total amount missing is far more than that. At least one donor gave Tong $1,000 alone. Still, Borgen says, “something is better than nothing.”