The former president of a Pocatello youth soccer organization has been charged with felony grand theft after investigators say she transferred more than $219,000 in club funds to her own accounts over roughly 16 months.
Cristie Stone, who served as president of the Portneuf Valley Soccer Club since 2020, received a court summons on June 16, 2026, and is scheduled to be arraigned on July 6. She faces a single count of felony grand theft. If convicted, the maximum sentence is 14 years in prison.
How the Theft Was Discovered
The alleged scheme came to light on February 25, 2025, when the club’s finance and office administrator noticed irregularities that raised red flags. The administrator flagged that the club had reported a financial loss on its 2023 tax return — something the administrator said had not happened in their memory.
A closer review turned up 16 suspicious transactions spanning January 2023 through April 2024. Investigators focused on the club’s account at Idaho Central Credit Union, which had only two authorized users: Stone and a former vice president. Records showed 15 separate transfers totaling $186,372.44 moved from that account directly to Stone’s personal credit card.
Investigators also discovered a second account at Citizens’ Community Bank that the club had believed was closed. That account had its own suspicious activity, with transfers routed to a Venmo account belonging to Stone.
When club board members confronted Stone with their findings, she told them she had accidentally linked her personal credit card to the organization’s bank account. The board was not satisfied with that explanation and called an emergency meeting to restrict or remove her from the presidency.
Partial Reimbursement, Then Attorneys
Before any formal charges were filed, Stone delivered a cashier’s check for $50,000 to the club on March 18, 2025. The check was labeled “voluntary partial reimbursement of misappropriated funds” — language that investigators and prosecutors would later point to as an implicit acknowledgment of wrongdoing.
Despite the partial payment, Stone still owed more than $169,000 to account for the full amount authorities say was taken. Negotiations between the club’s board and Stone’s legal team did not produce an agreement. As of August 29 of last year, no resolution had been reached.
Stone had been scheduled for an interview with investigators on June 13, 2025, but canceled that morning, informing authorities she had retained attorney Richard Blok.
Current PVSC president Mary Keller declined to comment on specifics of the case. “Because the matter is under review by the prosecutor’s office, PVSC will not make comments on individuals, evidence or potential legal proceedings,” Keller said in a statement.
What the Charges Mean for the Club
Portneuf Valley Soccer Club serves youth athletes throughout the Pocatello and Bannock County area, and the alleged misappropriation spanned a period when many sports organizations were already navigating financial pressures following the pandemic years. The $219,000-plus figure represents a substantial sum for a nonprofit community sports club, and the embezzlement allegedly went undetected for well over a year before the administrator caught the discrepancy in the tax records.
The case highlights the vulnerability of small nonprofit organizations that rely on volunteer leadership and limited financial oversight. With only two authorized users on the primary bank account, routine internal checks that might catch unauthorized transfers in larger organizations were apparently not in place — or were not sufficient to detect the activity in real time.
Stone has not entered a plea as of the date of this report. Her arraignment is set for July 6, 2026.
Bannock County residents following local public safety developments can also read about a recent Pocatello stabbing case and a SWAT operation targeting a high-risk Pocatello residence for more on ongoing law enforcement activity in the area. For statewide news, visit Idaho News.
What Comes Next
Stone’s arraignment on the felony grand theft charge is scheduled for July 6 in Bannock County. At that hearing, she will formally enter a plea. If the case proceeds to trial and she is convicted on the single felony count, sentencing guidelines allow for up to 14 years of incarceration. The club has indicated it will defer further public comment until the legal process moves forward.