CIRCLEVILLE, OH – The Circleville Aerie No. 685 of the Fraternal Order of Eagles (FOE #685) has reached a settlement agreement with Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost’s office following an investigation into the club’s charitable bingo operations.
The agreement resolves alleged violations of state gaming and charitable trust laws uncovered during a probe by the Attorney General’s Charitable Law Section. According to the settlement, FOE #685 will pay $10,000 in civil penalties and implement several compliance measures to continue operating charitable bingo in Ohio.
Investigation Findings
State investigators found that between April 2022 and December 2023, FOE #685 conducted electronic instant bingo outside of licensed hours on at least 279 occasions, with four more instances recorded in 2024. The report also noted that the organization had conducted traditional and Type II bingo sessions for years without the proper licensing.
Additionally, the Attorney General determined that a trustee, Michael Roeder, had breached fiduciary duties under Ohio law by failing to act in the best interests of the charity and comply with legal requirements.
Terms of the Settlement
Under the terms of the agreement:
- FOE #685 will pay $10,000 in civil penalties to the State of Ohio’s Charitable Law Fund.
- Michael Roeder is prohibited from participating in any charitable bingo operations but may continue to serve as a trustee or officer and may still play bingo as a member.
- All current board members, officers, and bingo volunteers must complete the Attorney General’s Charitable University training within 90 days and Bingo School certification within 180 days.
- The organization agreed to fully cooperate with any future investigations and comply with all state and federal laws governing charitable gaming.
Failure to comply with these conditions could result in the revocation or suspension of FOE #685’s bingo license or further legal action by the Attorney General’s Office.
Attorney General Oversight
The settlement emphasizes that while the Attorney General will not use the current findings against FOE #685 in future licensing decisions, any future violations of the agreement could reopen the case.
Attorney General Yost’s office noted that the resolution ensures accountability and compliance within Ohio’s charitable gaming sector while allowing FOE #685 to continue its community-based fundraising activities under stricter oversight.
The Circleville Eagles have been licensed to operate bingo since at least 2019, holding permits for Type I, II, and III bingo, including electronic instant games.
