Two ex-NFL players and a former Miami high school star have been arrested by the FBI on charges in connection with an identity theft scheme to steal peoples identity and use it to file false tax returns.
The two ex-NFL players are: William Joseph, who was drafted in 2003 by the New York Giants out of the University of Miami, and Michael Bennett, a running back out of the University of Wisconsin who was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in 2001.
The third man charged was the Miami Jackson High School standout Louis Gachelin. Gachelin is the half-brother of Denver Broncos star Elvis Dumervil. Gachelin also played defensive lineman at Syracuse University and signed as a free agent with the New England Patriots in 2004. Gachelin never made the final roster and went on to play for NFL Europe’s Frankfurt Galaxy in 2005.
The three men were questioned after their arrests Monday by the FBI at the North Miami Beach regional office, then they were transferred to the Federal Detention Center in downtown Miami. The men await their court appearences Tuesday afternoon before U.S Magistrate Judge Robert Dube.
The FBI also arrested near a half-dozen other defendants Monday.
Although the tax-related fraud case is unique due to the fact that the defendants are ex-NFL players, athourites say that these kinds of cases are just another sign of identity-theft crimes in South Florida.
Original Story:
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May 01, 2012
