A 52-year-old former treasurer for North Manatee Soccer Club is accused of siphoning more than $146,000 from the youth soccer nonprofit into personal spending, including trips to Las Vegas, Disney outings and sporting event tickets. Nancy Fetzner was arrested by the Manatee County Sheriff's Office after investigators say a club volunteer first spotted transactions that had nothing to do with running a soccer program.
According to FOX 13 Tampa Bay, the Manatee County Sheriff's Office opened its investigation into suspected financial fraud at the club on June 29. Detectives identified Fetzner as the primary suspect and say investigators found at least $8,000 in personal purchases tied to her accounts, per the sheriff's office. Authorities have not specified whether the soccer club has recovered any of the missing money.
Investigators say Fetzner deposited more than $44,000 into a club subaccount using remote deposits in August 2023, then transferred nearly $102,000 from the primary business account into that same subaccount over time, according to the sheriff's office as reported by FOX 13. Detectives say she used the transferred funds for personal living and travel expenses, including trips to Las Vegas, Disney transactions and sporting-event tickets, per the outlet's reporting. She has since been removed from her treasurer position and charged with scheme to defraud $50,000 or more.
How the Scheme Reportedly Started
The Manatee County Sheriff's Office Economic Crimes Unit determined that the improper transactions began in August 2023, after a club volunteer reviewing financial statements flagged at least $8,000 in suspicious charges unrelated to soccer operations, according to WTSP 10 News. That internal review is what eventually led to the criminal investigation, nearly three years after the alleged scheme began.
Once the irregularities surfaced, Mutiny Soccer Club's board of directors moved quickly. The board stripped Fetzner of her treasurer position, revoked her account privileges, notified law enforcement, and hired an independent forensic accountant to inspect the club's financial records alongside a new professional bookkeeper, the club said in a statement posted to Facebook.
A Nonprofit Serving Young Players Across Parrish
North Manatee Soccer Club, Inc. was incorporated as a Florida nonprofit in July 2015 and operates as a registered tax-exempt 501(c)(3) public charity based in Parrish, according to Florida Division of Corporations records. The organization runs competitive teams under the Mutiny Soccer Club name and recreational leagues under North Manatee Rec, serving players ages 4 to 15 with home fields centered at Buffalo Creek Park.
Families in the program pay significant sums to keep their kids on the field. Annual player fees for Mutiny's nine-month competitive season range from $575 to $775 per player, covering facility rentals, referees, insurance and league entry, and are supplemented by mandatory volunteer fees and corporate sponsorships, according to the club's official fee schedule. Because competitive teams lean so heavily on parent dues, fundraising and community business sponsorships, the alleged loss threatens to hit youth sports equipment, facility upkeep and player opportunities directly.
Facing a First-Degree Felony
Under Florida Statute § 817.034(4)(a)1, an organized scheme to defraud involving property valued at $50,000 or more is classified as a first-degree felony, punishable by up to 30 years in prison and 30 years of probation, per legal guidance published by Hanlon Law. That statute underpins the charge Fetzner now faces in connection with the club's alleged losses.
Manatee County has become one of Florida's busiest hubs for youth soccer, home to established leagues like the Manatee Area Youth Soccer Organization and to national championship events at Lakewood Ranch's Premier Sports Campus, which Hoodline has previously reported will host elite tournaments through 2030. Several open questions remain in Fetzner's case, including whether the club's forensic audit has concluded, the exact total amount of unaccounted funds, and whether the organization carries insurance that could help recover any of the missing $146,000.
