Ex-Pats WR flagged for alleged fraud, identity theft
Former Patriots wide receiver Kenbrell Thompkins has been federally charged for alleged coronavirus relief fraud in Florida, according to the Department of Justice.
The 32-year-old former NFL player is one of 18 defendants who has been charged in connection with CARES Act-related financial fraud in the last month in the Southern District of Florida.
Thompkins was recently charged by federal indictment with access device fraud and aggravated identity theft.
He’s accused of using the stolen identities of numerous Florida residents to obtain fraudulent unemployment insurance benefits from the state of California.
California distributed these unemployment benefit funds in the form of debit cards, which were subsequently mailed to addresses associated with Thompkins in Miami and Aventura, Fla., according to the feds.
Court documents allege that from Aug. 16 through Sept. 23, Thompkins used these debit cards to withdraw funds at various ATMs in Miami-Dade County.
The alleged scheme involved about $300,000 in California unemployment insurance funds credited to the fraudulent debit cards associated with Thompkins, of which about $230,000 was withdrawn.
Due to the pandemic, more than $860 billion in federal funds has been appropriated for unemployment insurance benefits through September 2021. People looking to exploit these benefits have used stolen identities to fraudulently file for the benefits, the feds allege.
“Our investigations quickly identified individuals willing to capitalize on this national emergency to enrich themselves at the expense of struggling businesses and their employees,” George Piro, special agent in charge of the FBI Miami field office, said in a statement.
“Today does not represent the end of our efforts in this fight. The FBI will continue to pursue those who defraud the government until they are all prosecuted.”
Since passage of the CARES Act, the South Florida U.S. Attorney’s Office has charged a total of 38 COVID-19 financial fraud cases, with fraud scheme dollar amounts totaling more than $75 million.
“When the CARES Act was first passed a year ago, our office promised South Floridians that we would prioritize the prosecution of fraudsters who tried to capitalize on this global health and economic crisis,” Ariana Fajardo Orshan, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, said in a statement. “Our work has just begun, and we will continue to work together with our partners to hold accountable those who try to cheat South Floridians of much needed relief money.”
In New England, Thompkins is remembered by many for catching a last-second, game-winning touchdown against the New Orleans Saints in 2013. He also dropped a lot of passes during his time with the Pats.