A former Alabama sports anchor has been arrested for allegedly diverting thousands of dollars from the International Motorsports Hall of Fame to himself to buy vintage cars.
Mike Raita, a longtime lead sports anchor at ABC 33/40, was arrested on April 2 and charged with using his position or office for personal gain, per CBS 42.
The 67-year-old, who served as executive director of the International Motorsports Hall of Fame in Talladega from 2020 until 2024, came under suspicion after an audit for the institution revealed that a former accounts manager allegedly misappropriated $236,000 between 2019 and 2024.
Raita allegedly billed at least two major personal purchases to the hall’s commission during his stint at its helm, according to a report filed by the Alabama Department of Examiners of Public Accounts. That report revealed that Raita allegedly purchased a 1968 Camaro Convertible Pace Car from the hall for $15,000 in 2023, even though the group had spent nearly $23,000 to fix it beforehand. The report also stated that Raita’s wife allegedly purchased a 1998 F-150 from the commission for $1,000.
After the audit, the entire board was removed, and Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey named a new 18-member board.
Most recently, Raita served as the regional director for Sen. Tommy Tuberville, according to his LinkedIn profile.
“Tommy Spina, Raita’s attorney, said in a statement that his client has not engaged in any conduct that he believed to be unlawful,” and he plans to plead not guilty.
Raita was a popular Alabama sports anchor, first at WBRC in 1989. Following a brief stint in Dayton, Ohio, he returned to Birmingham for the launch of ABC 33/40, where he hosted “The Zone, highlighting sports news across the state with local journalists and coaches, as well as covering high school football with Jeff Speegle. He was named Alabama Sportscaster of the Year by the Associated Press 10 times.
“There have been many good sportscasters to come through Birmingham over the years. But none have ever been as unique as Mike,” ESPN’s Paul Finebaum wrote in the foreword to Raita’s 2019 memoir, “The Show Goes On.” “He was an original, a one-of-a-kind personality that we had never seen the likes of — and in today’s depressed television environment, will likely never see again.”
About Sean Keeley
Along with writing for Awful Announcing and The Comeback, Sean is the Managing Editor for Comeback Media. Previously, he created the Syracuse blog Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician and wrote 'How To Grow An Orange: The Right Way to Brainwash Your Child Into Rooting for Syracuse.' He has also written non-Syracuse-related things for SB Nation, Curbed, and other outlets. He currently lives in Seattle where he is complaining about bagels. Send tips/comments/complaints to sean@thecomeback.com.