The treasurer for two junior baseball organizations in Oregon was arrested this week on allegations of embezzling over $700,000 after an audit found money had been transferred to personal accounts and spent in casinos, Sherwood police said Friday.
Terrence Haimoto, 52, who served as treasurer for the Sherwood Junior Baseball Organization and Oregon’s Junior Baseball Organization, faces 10 theft charges, according to Sherwood police and court records.
The Sherwood baseball club is an extension of the Junior Baseball Organization in Oregon. The junior league hosts games across the state for students in grades three through eight, according to the state organization’s website.
The Sherwood club first noticed financial discrepancies late last year after the newly appointed president, Rick Dooley, started combing through bank account records, police said. Dooley hired an outside financial firm to do an audit and brought the findings to police.
Investigators found multiple instances where the Sherwood baseball organization’s funds were transferred to Haimoto’s personal and business bank accounts dating back as far as 2017, police said. That money was then spent at casinos in Oregon and Washington, according to police. Detectives found other “suspicious transactions” in the state’s bank account as well, police said.
Haimoto had been treasurer of the Sherwood club for seven years. It’s not clear how long he had been treasurer of the state organization. The theft charges cite money missing from both groups.
A Washington County grand jury indicted Haimoto on Tuesday and police arrested him the next day, police said. Haimoto was booked into Washington County jail and released, court records show.
The Sherwood baseball league said in a statement it was “deeply troubled” by the allegations and has “taken decisive steps to address the situation.”
“We have implemented rigorous internal financial controls, ensured transparency by openly holding board meetings, and reaffirmed our unwavering commitment to prioritizing the kids first in everything we are doing,” the statement said.
The Oregonian/OregonLive could not immediately reach Haimoto for comment.
— Austin De Dios covers public safety and diversity, equity and inclusion. Reach him at 503-319-9744, adedios@oregonian.com or @AustinDeDios.
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