Former Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Rich Butler and his wife face fraud charges tied to a youth baseball program. Durham Regional Police in Ontario announced the charges Tuesday. The matter has not been taken to court yet.
Each faces three charges. They are fraud over $5,000, possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000 and uttering a forged document.
Families paid fees in 2025 to enroll their children in the 2025-26 Ontario Devil Rays baseball training program.
Between April 1 and Oct. 31, 2025, about $60,000 in fees went into a bank account tied to the program. Investigators allege the funds later moved to other accounts associated with the couple. They allege the money did not pay for the training program. They also allege the Ontario Devil Rays organization did not provide the agreed services.
On Oct. 19, 2025, families received an email saying the business had dissolved and was claiming bankruptcy. Investigators allege the email carried a lawyer’s name without his knowledge or permission. No bankruptcy or insolvency proceedings began.
What Punishment Could Rich Butler Face?
Canada’s Criminal Code sets the maximum penalty for each charge. The same maximums apply to both Butlers.
Fraud over $5,000 carries a maximum of 14 years in prison. Prosecutors can pursue that charge only as an indictable offense.
Possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000 carries up to 10 years if prosecutors proceed by indictment. Uttering a forged document also carries up to 10 years on indictment. Prosecutors can instead choose summary conviction on those two charges. That route carries lower maximums.
Rich Butler Played Only 7 Games for Toronto
The Blue Jays signed Butler as an amateur free agent on Sept. 24, 1990. Toronto called him up nearly seven years later.
Butler made his major league debut Sept. 6, 1997. He played seven games for the Blue Jays that season. He went 4-for-14 for a .286 average, with one double, two RBIs, three runs and two walks.
The Tampa Bay Devil Rays (now Tampa Bay Rays) selected Butler 10th overall in the 1997 expansion draft.
He played 72 games for Tampa Bay in 1998, batting .226 with seven home runs and 20 RBIs. He appeared in seven more games in 1999. His final major league game came Aug. 4, 1999.
Butler finished with a .223 average, seven home runs and 22 RBIs in 86 games. He had 56 hits in 251 at-bats.
His brother, Rob Butler, was part of the Blue Jays’ 1993 World Series championship team.
Ex-Toronto Blue Jays Outfielder Bracing for Serious Legal Trouble Over Fraud Charges