Ryan Andrew Tong, a former Orangetheory Fitness instructor in Portland, Ore., has pled guilty to a years-long fundraising scheme that he used to fund his cocaine addiction.
According to KOIN 6 News, the fitness instructor targeted gymgoers in his own classes, asking them to donate to charities, promising their donations would be matched by “major companies” and then routing the money to his own Venmo account for drug purchases. The scheme continued from 2021 to 2024, and amounted to roughly $24,000.
Tong’s scheme was uncovered by local, investigative journalists who, when speaking with Orangetheory members, tracked the payments and then called the listed charities to ask if funds had ever been received. They had not.
This revelation led to Tong being fired from his position with Orangetheory about two years ago. Charges were first brought against him in Oct. 2025.
After pleading guilty to first-degree theft and first-degree aggravated theft and computer crimes, Tong will serve five years of probation and pay $24,025 of restitution through $200 monthly payments and restitution work crew shifts.
“People trusted that when they donated during those workout classes, their money would go to charitable causes they cared about,” Oregon’s assistant attorney general Heather Weigler said in a statement. “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.”
Deputy district attorney Eric Pickard said the goal of the court was to ensure the charities would be in the same position they would have been if Tong had not stolen the funds.
Current and former Orangetheory gymgoers shared their outrage on social media, with many claiming they never questioned Tong’s instructions to send the money to his personal Venmo account because they had come to know him so well. Several even described having personal relationships with the fitness instructor outside of the gym environment.
