PORTLAND, Ore. — Members at a Portland Orangetheory gym donated thousands of dollars in charity classes that a fitness instructor promised to give to local nonprofits. But a KGW investigation found at least twelve of those charities never received the money.
“It means a lot to us that we’re able to work out and also do good,” said Orangetheory member Daniel Borgen. “Looking back, we all should have known better.”
The Orangetheory in Slabtown in Northwest Portland has previously celebrated its giving, posting on Instagram that head coach Ryan Tong helped raise more than $500,000 for charities in his years leading the classes.
However, many of the donations were sent to Tong’s personal Venmo account, with promises of corporate matches from companies like Adidas and Nike.
Both Adidas and Nike told KGW they have no association with Orangetheory Slabtown and have never matched charity class donations.
Portland Police took a police report and are investigating the case.
Tong has not responded to KGW’s requests for comment.
Jordan Thomas, a regional manager with Orangetheory franchisee Honors Holdings, said she is shocked and disappointed about the allegations against Tong. She added that Tong has been suspended without pay while they investigate.
"We understand this is deeply upsetting to our loyal members and a violation of their trust, and we are cooperating fully with law enforcement," Thomas said in a statement. "Once our investigation concludes, we will turn our focus to making the situation right for impacted members."
After learning about the situation in Slabtown, Honors Holdings told KGW that the company has implemented new policies for all of its Orangetheory locations to ensure that any donations raised in connection to charity classes are provided directly to charities themselves.
The company added that Venmo is not an acceptable method of donation moving forward.
LeRae Hunt, an Orangetheory Slabtown member, said she donated more than $700 over the past few years.
“I’m frustrated of my own ignorance to what was happening underneath my eyes,” Hunt said. “My drinking of the Kool-Aid, if you will, and my blind trust of this person who I considered a friend and a coach.”
Ryan Tong, also known as Coach RyRy at the studio, led the fitness charity classes at the end of each month and frequently publicized the different charities that would benefit.
“All proceeds will go directly to Maui Relief,” he said in one Instagram video on the Orangetheory Slabtown account.
In another video, Tong said 100% of the class proceeds would go to Make-A-Wish.
Orangetheory class members told KGW that Tong asked participants to send the donations to Tong’s personal Venmo, from which he would match and send the money on to charities.
Direct donations to charities were also an option, class members said, but they were less popular due to the ease of Venmo transactions.
Tong’s Venmo account shows a record of public transactions dating back years, with people referencing the charity of that month and the donation class.
“I think in the back of our heads we all thought it was maybe a little odd that this person was using their personal Venmo account,” Borgen said. “But when it’s happening out in the open, it’s celebrated, it’s shared on social media, it doesn’t occur to you that somebody is being dishonest every single day you see them.”
As of May 1, the following 12 organizations have confirmed with KGW that they have no records of donations from either OrangeTheory Slabtown or Ryan Tong:
- Alzheimer's Association
- American Heart Association
- American Red Cross - Cascades Region
- Cascade AIDS Project
- Harrington Family Foundation
- Make-A-Wish
- Pants Off Racing
- Period
- Open Space Dance
- Oregon Humane Society
- Rose Haven
- The Cupcake Girls
Many organizations told KGW they were unaware Orangetheory Slabtown was raising money in their name.
Period, a non-profit that advocates for menstrual health and policy change, told KGW it received more than $500 from a charity class held in 2021 in their name, but nothing from the 2022 and 2023 classes.
No other organization has told KGW it received money from the studio or Tong, although Rose Haven reported a $100 direct donation from a person who referenced the Orangetheory class.
More than a dozen other philanthropies that were named beneficiaries of monthly charity classes have yet to respond to inquiries.
“The thing that got us, I think, was the matching benefit,” Hunt said. “Ryan said that he would always match things personally. The $5 you give could become $25, and I think that appealed to us.”
In a video on the Orangetheory Slabtown Instagram page, Tong advertised an upcoming charity class with promises of matching donations.
“I’m going to match every dollar,” he said. “I’m going to see if I can find some corporate sponsors, maybe Nike, maybe Adidas.”
Fitness class members uncovered the missing donations thanks to Borgen, who serves on the board of directors for the Cascade AIDS Project.
CAP was the named beneficiary for multiple charity classes. Borgen asked the non-profit’s development team to check how much money they received from Orangetheory Slabtown and Tong — they found nothing.
“The facts, it was difficult to swallow,” Borgen said.
Borgen, Hunt and other class members have since reached out to people they know who attended the classes. So far, they’ve counted more than $10,000 in Venmo donations in recent years.
“My heart just dropped,” Hunt said. “Just because of what it means to local charities to have any donation or volunteer service.”
Despite Orangetheory Slabtown having claimed to raise more than $500,000 for charities in an Instagram post, it is unclear how much money was actually raised — due to uncertainty around donation and matching details.
Dara Wilk, development director for Period, told KGW that the situation is frustrating.
“This incident underscores the importance of corporations to act transparently and with integrity with nonprofits and donors to ensure that intended funds reach those most in need,” Wilk said in a statement.
Rose Haven executive director Katie O’Brien shared a statement with KGW, saying in part:
“It is a shame when someone takes advantage of good people who are looking for ways to support people in need. There is so much goodwill out in our communities, and I hope this doesn't taint people's spirit for helping others.”
Borgen said he wants to know where the money went and what Orangetheory will do about it, as the company hasn’t directly answered his questions.
“I think we’re determined to make it right and come out the other side and do some really good work for these charities,” he said.
Hunt recognized the lesson in giving, when good intentions fall short.
“Just do your due diligence, my advice is to donate directly to the charity so you’ll have a receipt and they actually, totally get the funds,” she said.
Watch: More KGW Investigations