Parents Paid Former MLB Player to Train Their Kids. Police Say He and His Wife Pocketed $60K Instead

Richard and Michelle ButlerCredit: Durham Regional Police Service/Facebook

Richard Butler and his wife, Michelle, are charged with fraud after allegedly swindling families out of $60,000

According to police, parents paid registration fees for a baseball training program that later shut down and falsely claimed they were declaring bankruptcy

Butler previously played Major League Baseball for the Toronto Blue Jays and Tampa Bay Devil Rays

A former Major League Baseball player is accused of defrauding families who signed up for his baseball training program.

Richard Butler, 53, and his wife, Michelle, 52, are both charged with fraud in Canadian court, according to Durham Regional Police.

Authorities said that parents had registered and paid for the Ontario Devil Rays baseball training program for the 2025-2026 season.

Between April and October 2025, police said, about $60,000 was deposited into the organization’s bank account. But the money was then allegedly transferred to bank accounts associated with Butler and his wife.

“Investigators allege the funds were not used for the training program and the services initially agreed upon were not provided by the Ontario Devil Rays organization,” Durham police said.

Rich ButlerCredit: David Seelig /Allsport

On Oct. 19, 2025, the families received an email claiming the organization was being dissolved because of financial hardship and that they were declaring bankruptcy.

As it turned out, police alleged no bankruptcy proceedings had been initiated and that the name of an attorney was used on the email without his permission.

In addition to fraud of over $5,000, Butler and Michelle are also charged with possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000 and uttering a forged document, per authorities.

Police said there could also potentially be more victims.

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It is not immediately clear if either defendant has entered a plea.

During his career, Butler appeared in 86 Major League games, spending parts of three seasons between 1997 and 1999 as an outfielder for both the Toronto Blue Jays and the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. He is a native of Canada.

Source: Crime