Former NFL player guilty of ID theft, COVID-19 relief fraud

MIAMI – A erstwhile NFL wide receiver and South Florida autochthonal has pleaded blameworthy to stealing identities to fraudulently get coronavirus-related unemployment security benefits successful California.

Kenbrell Armod Thompkins, 33, pleaded blameworthy Monday successful Miami national tribunal to 1 number of unauthorized entree instrumentality fraud and 1 number of aggravated individuality theft, according to tribunal records. He faces up to 12 years successful situation astatine his scheduled Jan. 6 sentencing.

According to a plea agreement, Thompkins utilized the stolen identities of galore Florida residents to get fraudulent unemployment security benefits from the authorities of California. California distributed these unemployment payment funds arsenic debit cards, which were mailed to addresses associated with Thompkins successful Miami and adjacent Aventura, prosecutors said.

In August and September 2020, Thompkins utilized these debit cards to retreat funds astatine assorted ATMs successful Miami-Dade County, prosecutors said. They said the strategy progressive astir $300,000 successful California unemployment security funds, retired of which astir $230,000 of the funds were withdrawn.

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Thompkins was signed arsenic an undrafted escaped cause by the New England Patriots successful 2013 and has besides been a subordinate of the Oakland Raiders and New York Jets.

Congress passed the Covid Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act past twelvemonth to assistance individuals and businesses financially past the COVID-19 pandemic, including done the proviso of national funds to authorities unemployment security payment programs.

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