Oregon Nonprofit Leader Indicted for Stealing $837K in Disaster Relief to Fund Casino Gambling

Marcus Brooks, founder and executive director of the now-defunct Cascade Relief Team nonprofit, has been indicted by a Lincoln County grand jury in Oregon on allegations that he systematically diverted more than $837,000 in disaster relief grant money to fund personal gambling trips, casino visits, strip club expenses, and other lavish spending.

According to the Oregon Department of Justice, Brooks received a $326,000 grant from the American Red Cross in 2021 ostensibly to build tornado shelters in Kentucky following a deadly outbreak that killed 74 people and caused over $4 billion in damages. Prosecutors allege that instead of deploying to Kentucky, Brooks misappropriated the funds for personal vehicle payments, casino cash withdrawals, travel unrelated to the relief mission, and entertainment venues. Additionally, Cascade Relief received a $100,000 grant from the Oregon State Fire Marshal in 2020 for wildfire debris cleanup and tree removal work that was never completed, with at least $6,000 spent at casinos.

Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield characterized the conduct as particularly egregious given the vulnerable circumstances of disaster victims. "This man preyed on people at the worst moment of their lives," Rayfield stated. "He wore the badge of a disaster relief leader while gambling away the money meant to rebuild people's homes and give them a new start."

The indictment came to light after former employees laid off by the organization contacted the Oregon DOJ with concerns about Brooks' unauthorized access to and control of the charity's banking accounts. The investigation revealed a pattern of personal enrichment that included a family vacation to Disneyland funded by relief dollars.

Brooks faces two counts of aggravated theft in the first degree, each carrying a potential sentence of up to 10 years in prison and fines up to $250,000, plus restitution. He was already facing civil litigation when state prosecutors brought the criminal charges this week.

This case reflects a troubling trend within the casino industry's relationship to problem gambling and financial crime. CasinoAdvisor's ongoing tracking identifies recurring patterns in which individuals in positions of trust divert organizational funds to feed gambling habits, including similar cases involving a Los Angeles attorney who stole $300,000 from clients in July 2026 and a firefighter accused of stealing $1.6 million to gamble in August 2026. The Brooks case demonstrates how gambling compulsion can motivate fraud targeting the most vulnerable populations, amplifying the human cost beyond direct financial loss.