Former Patriots Starter Charged With Identity Theft, Unemployment Fraud

Former New England Patriots starting wide receiver Kenbrell Thompkins faces accusations of using stolen identities to obtain about $300,000 in unemployment insurance from the state of California.

Thompkins, 32, of Miami, was charged by federal indictment with access device fraud and aggravated identity theft, according to a U.S. Attorney's Office Southern District of Florida news release shared on Justice.gov last Friday (March 26) via Boston.com.

Court documents accuse Thompkins of using stolen identities of numerous Florida residents to obtain fraudulent unemployment insurance benefits from the State of California, according to the news release.

California distributed the unemployment benefit funds in the form of debit cards, which were subsequently mailed to addresses associated with the former wide receiver in Miami and Aventura, Florida. Thompkins then used the cards to withdraw funds at various ATMs in Miami-Dade County from August 16-September 22, 2020, according to court documents.

In total, Thompkins received approximately $300,000 in California unemployment insurance funds credited to the debit cards, with approximately $230,000 withdrawn.

A criminal complaint filed last month obtained by Boston.com says Thompson matched the individual on surveillance video -- who had a "distinctive" left forearm tattoo -- using the stolen debit cards at several different Bank of America branches in Miami-Dade County.

Authorities executed a search warrant on Thompkins' Aventura resident in January and discovered handwritten notes with names and social security numbers of at least three identity theft victims listed.

Thompkins, who had previously been arrested for armed robbery and cocaine possession in high school, joined the Patriots as an undrafted free agent in 2013 and recorded 32 receptions for 466 yards and four touchdowns during his rookie season, which included a game-winning touchdown catch to beat the New Orleans Saints.

However, the Miami native was cut in October 2014 and finished his second year with the then-Oakland Raiders, before re-joining the Patriots as a practice squad member in September 2015 and eventually getting released 24 days later.

Thompkins made his last NFL appearance as a member of the New York Jets in 2015 and later signed with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the CFL in 2018.

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