USA Swimming CFO resigns following arrest on embezzlement prices in Colorado

USA Swimming confirmed Tuesday that Cory Hilliard has resigned because the group’s CFO following his arrest on allegations he embezzled practically $10,000 whereas working for the University of Colorado’s athletics program.

Hilliard faces felony prices of theft and embezzlement of public property, in addition to a misdemeanor cost of first-degree official misconduct. The Boulder County District Attorney’s Office alleges Hilliard stole $9,510 whereas working because the administrator of Colorado’s Nike Elite program from 2021 to 2025. That cash was meant for “employee product benefit allocations” and qualifies as public funds.

Colorado’s athletics program uncovered monetary discrepancies throughout an inside audit of its 2025 data, and alerted police quickly after. The investigation continued after Hilliard left the college in December, when USA Swimming introduced him on as its CFO within the first main hiring by new CEO Kevin Ring.

USA Swimming positioned Hilliard on depart following his arrest Monday, and confirmed to The Athletic that it’s “immediately” starting a seek for his substitute. He was not listed within the Boulder County Jail inhabitants as of Tuesday night time.

Hilliard is the second high-profile government to hitch USA Swimming earlier than leaving lower than a 12 months later. The group, which oversees aggressive swimming from the youth to Olympic stage, employed former University of Delaware athletics director Chrissi Rawak as CEO in February 2025. However, simply 9 days later, Rawak withdrew from the place after USA Swimming found she had not disclosed a U.S. Center for SafeSport investigation into her for potential misconduct.

Ring took over as USA Swimming’s CEO in September 2025, regardless of having no background in sports activities oversight and beforehand working in advertising.