Topsail High Booster Club Treasurer Arrested after investigators say over $50,000 was taken from the Boosters Club.
PENDER COUNTY, N.C. — What was supposed to be money supporting student-athletes at Topsail High has now turned into a criminal case.
The Pender County Sheriff’s Office says it launched an investigation on February 6, 2026, after being alerted by administrators at Topsail High School and members of the school’s Boosters Club about possible financial misconduct.
According to authorities, the Booster Club Treasurer — identified as Erin Coleen Schmidt of Hampstead — is accused of embezzling more than $50,000 from the Topsail High School Boosters Club.
Officials allege the funds were misused and obtained under false pretenses. The money was reportedly intended to support school programs and student activities — including athletics and other extracurriculars that rely heavily on booster funding.
On February 11, 2026, deputies arrested Schmidt and served her with multiple felony warrants, including:
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Felony Obtaining Property by False Pretense
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Felony Money Laundering (Less Than $100,000)
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Felony Embezzlement
Schmidt was taken before a magistrate and is now being held at the Pender County Jail under a $5,000 secured bond.
