Baseball founder faces fraud suit

The founder of Israel's financially struggling professional baseball league is being sued by a Florida woman who claims he defrauded her of the $275,000 she invested in his bagel business and used the money for personal expenses and to support the league.

Natalie Blacher is asking for the return of her investment in the suit against Lawrence Baras of Brookline, Mass.

Baras, who denies the allegation, was the driving force behind the six-team Israel Baseball League, which completed its first season in August. — ap