Former Blue Jays player Rich Butler, wife, charged with fraud in Ontario

TORONTO — Former Toronto Blue Jays player Rich Butler and his wife are facing fraud charges in connection with a youth baseball training program, Durham Regional Police said Tuesday.

Butler, 53, and Michelle Butler, 52, of Frankford, Ont., are each charged with fraud over $5,000, possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000 and uttering a forged document.

Police say families registered and paid fees for the 2025-26 Ontario Devil Rays baseball training program, with approximately $60,000 deposited into a bank account associated with the organization between April 1 and Oct. 31, 2025.

Investigators allege funds from the account were transferred to other accounts associated with the suspects and were not used for the training program.

Families were advised by email that the business was being dissolved amid a bankruptcy claim, but investigators later determined the lawyer named in the email had allegedly been included without his permission and no bankruptcy proceedings were initiated.

Rich Butler played 86 games with the Toronto Blue Jays and Tampa Bay Rays between 1997 and 1999, batting .223 with seven home runs and 22 runs batted in.

His brother, Rob Butler, appeared in 162 games over four seasons with Toronto and Philadelphia and was on the Blue Jays team that won the 1993 World Series.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 20, 2026.

The Canadian Press