Oregon Charity Founder Indicted for Alleged Gambling-Motivated Theft

Oregon has indicted the founder of a non-profit organization seeking to provide relief to people in devastated areas. According to the allegations, the man appropriated charity money to fuel his gambling habits. Brook’s Charity Sought to Provide Relief to People in Devastated Areas A Lincoln County jury has indicted Marcus Brooks, the founder of Cascade Relief Team, a crisis-driven charity dedicated to supporting victims of devastation. Despite the good intentions of the charity organization, Brooks’s alleged gambling habit caused him to allegedly appropriate tens of thousands of dollars of charity money. In 2021, Brooks’s now-defunct Cascade Relief Team had promised to play a role in providing relief to tornado victims in Kentucky. The charity was granted $326,000 by the American Red Cross for the construction of shelters in the state after intense weather conditions reduced thousands of homes to rubble and caused the deaths of dozens of people. The Cascade Relief Team also received $100,000 from the Oregon State Fire Marshal to assist with the cleanup after a wildfire in 2020. Unfortunately, the money ended up being misused, at least according to the indictment. The AG Slammed the Misuse of Funds According to the allegations, Brooks took the American Red Cross’s money and used it to pay for his expenses. Among other things, he used the money to pay for frequent casino trips. He is also believed to have used the cash to buy vehicles and fund personal trips, including a journey to Disneyland and strip club visits. The alleged scheme came crashing down after disgruntled employees whom Brooks had fired tipped off the Oregon Department of Justice about the fund misuse. Brooks has now been charged with two counts of aggravated theft in the first degree. As a result, he faces up to 10 years in prison, restitution and a fine of up to $250,000. Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield commented on the matter and accused Brooks of “preying on people at the worst moment of their lives” and “gambled away the money meant to rebuild people’s homes.” However, Rayfield also acknowledged that Brooks is innocent until proven guilty. Oregon Sentenced Casino Robber In other Oregon-related news, the man behind a robbery at the Wildhorse Resort and Casino in Oregon was recently sentenced to 20 years behind bars. For reference, the man in question robbed the casino at gunpoint while threatening to “bathe everyone in blood.” The man eventually pleaded guilty to attempted murder, illegal possession of a firearm, and robbery.