Former NFL WR Kenbrell Thompkins Pleads Guilty to Identity Theft, COVID Relief Fraud

Former NFL wide receiver Kenbrell Thompkins pleaded guilty to one count of unauthorized access device fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft after using stolen identities to fraudulently access COVID-19 relief benefits from the state of California.

The Associated Press reported Thompkins pleaded guilty Monday at a federal court in Miami and faces up to 12 years in prison.

The plea agreement revealed he used stolen identities of Florida residents to access unemployment insurance benefits from California, which were distributed as debit cards.

He then used those cards at ATMs in Florida to withdraw approximately $230,000 of the $300,000 that was involved in the scheme.

Thompkins played collegiately for the Cincinnati Bearcats and signed as an undrafted free agent with the New England Patriots in 2013. He played for the Patriots, Oakland Raiders and New York Jets during his brief NFL career and last appeared in a regular season game during the 2015 campaign.

His sentencing hearing is scheduled for Jan. 6.