Oregon nonprofit founder reportedly misused relief funds for gambling and personal expenses.

The criminal case centers around Marcus Brooks, the founder and executive director of the Cascade Relief Team. This week, the Oregon Department of Justice announced that Brooks has been indicted by a Lincoln County grand jury on two counts of Aggravated Theft in the First Degree. The indictment focuses on a $326,000 grant from the American Red Cross intended to build tornado shelters for survivors in Kentucky. However, an investigation revealed that a large portion of this grant was missing. It is alleged that Brooks diverted a significant part of the funds to settle his company's debts. According to the Department of Justice, the money was used to shore up pre-existing financial liabilities. Beyond covering company-related debts, prosecutors allege that additional funds were misappropriated for personal expenses, including entertainment, vehicle payments, cash withdrawals, many of which were made at casinos, personal payments, and travel and hotel costs unrelated to his nonprofit's disaster relief efforts. Allegedly, disaster relief funds were also used by Brooks to cover bank fees from overdrafts.

Attorney General Dan Rayfield addressed the criminal case, stating, This man preyed on people at the worst moments of their lives. Rayfield highlighted that the individual misused his position as a disaster relief leader by gambling away funds intended to help rebuild homes and provide people with a fresh start, a debt he will have to repay in various ways. Brooks' indictment follows a civil lawsuit filed in Oregon in April, alleging he embezzled nearly $837,000 in charitable funds meant for fire, flood, and tornado victims in Oregon and Kentucky. The Department of Justice notes that this civil case is still ongoing. If convicted on two counts of Aggravated Theft in the First Degree in Kentucky, the suspect could face several years in prison, restitution orders, and financial penalties. Misusing emergency aid funds is often seen as an aggravating factor during sentencing. Nonetheless, the suspect remains presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.