Former Patriots WR Charged With Stealing Close to $300,000

The New England Patriots are making headlines again, and this time a former WR is charged for stealing money. Former Patriots wide receiver Kenbrell Thompkins made people talk. He is in a big trouble with the law.

According to initial reports, the 32-year old was charged with access device fraud and aggravated identity theft. Federal prosecutors filed charges after Thompkins stole the identity of Florida residents.

The former Cincinnati Bearcats player used stolen identities to get $300,000 in unemployment insurance benefits from California. South Florida officials released his name after investigating CARES Act fraud. It was the very first COVID-19 relief bill.

Prosecutors suggest that the NFL player used stolen identities to send debit cards with unemployment benefits to his places in Miami and Aventura, Florida. He got $230,000 from ATMs from mid-August to late September.

The official complaint in the United States District Court of South Florida suggests that Thompkins’ identity was confirmed on surveillance cameras. The wide receiver has a “distinctive” tattoo on his left arm. Thompson used these debit cards at multiple Bank of America locations.

Patriots WR was allegedly stealing money for a month

The whole thing started in January. There was a search warrant for Thompkins’ home in Aventura. The police recovered handwritten notes with the names and social security numbers of Thompkins’ victims.

Thompkins grew up in Liberty City, Florida. The police arrested him for armed robbery and drug possession in high school.

He joined Cincinnati and played 33 games in the league with three different organizations. He signed with the Patriots, two other NFL teams and a CFL team, and many thought he was on the right track.

However, things didn’t go well for the player.

New England signed Thompkins as an undrafted free agent in 2013. He played in 12 games with 8 starts. In his first season with the team, Thompkins had 32 catches for 466 yards and four touchdowns. We all remember his last-second game-winning catch from quarterback Tom Brady.

Thompkins started the 2014 season with the team but they cut him in October. He signed with the Oakland Raiders and reunited with the Patriots in 2015. The team cut him again and he signed with the New York Jets in 2015.