NORTH CANTON, Ohio -- A former board member of two booster clubs will appear for arraignment this Friday, July 17, at 8:30 in Stark County Common Pleas Court. She faces an indictment for the alleged misappropriation of approximately $70,000 from school booster clubs.
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| Gavel resting on gavel block. (Photo: Ohsfbmedia.com file/Sasun Bughdaryan/Unsplash) |
Trisha Lynn Smith of Lake Township was the Cheerleading Parents Association treasurer and the Lady Vikings Basketball Booster Club youth director who works closely but is not connected with North Canton City School athletics, where the booster club is operated independently and does not fall under the school district's employment or operational control
According to reports, over about 10 months, dating from September 2023 to July 2025, approximately $66,000 went missing under the guise of Smith as the active treasurer.
An official of the Cheerleading Parents Association and a cheerleading coach filed a theft report in July 2025 to report the misappropriated funds.
In a separate initial report, an official of the Lady Vikings Basketball Booster Club, which aids the Hoover High School girls basketball team, notified the authorities that $6,900 was missing from the club's bank account on or about May 2024, while Ms. Smith was the active youth director.
Suspicion arose when a coach gave a handwritten check for $250 to cover the travel costs for his daughter to play in a basketball game. Instead of being deposited into the booster club's bank account, the funds went into an unknown account.
Ms. Smith was confronted by a basketball booster club official, as she was the acting youth director, about $2,650 in missing payments and fees; allegedly, she made little effort to explain why the money was missing, nor did she produce the funds.
She stepped down on or about July 15, 2025, due to the pending alleged accusations.
There were multiple text messages between Ms. Smith and a cheerleading coach where she apologized for not being more diligent and the lack of record-keeping, among other back-and-forth texts, which were obtained by authorities.
The North Canton City School District released the following statement:
"North Canton City Schools is aware of the recent legal activities involving an individual and two local booster clubs. Booster clubs are district support organizations and are intended to support student's role in enhancing the educational and athletic experience for our students. It is important to note that they operate independently of the school district."
She received a summons, and the Stark County Grand Jury filed an indictment against Ms. Smith accusing her of using a telecommunications device to commit fraud, twice obtaining access to a credit card to defraud as security for a debt, committing theft of $7,500 to $150,000 from the Lady Vikings Basketball Booster Club, and committing theft of $1,000 to $7,5000 against the North Canton Cheerleading Parent Association, according to court documents.
During a social media search, she is listed as the owner of 531 Sweets, a bakery specializing in sweets with a listed address that matches those on court records. Additionally, she donated baked goods to North Canton Intermediate School PTO back in May during Staff Appreciation Week. To note, there is no connection between the business and the indictment.
The indictment of a booster club member for missing funds highlights the serious consequences of financial mismanagement and the importance of transparency in community organizations. This situation serves as a reminder that trust and accountability are essential in maintaining the integrity of any group dedicated to supporting local programs.
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