Earl Thomas III still cannot catch a break after years of being out of the league.
A New Orleans man reportedly pretended to be the former NFL star just so he could steal money from his bank accounts, cash his NFL checks, and transfer ownership of several vehicles in a $1.9 million identity theft scheme, Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office investigators said.
38-year-old New Orleans man Kevin J. Thompson, who is in a relationship with Thomas’ ex-wife, Nina Thomas, was arrested in June.
He faces charges “including identity theft, forgery, money laundering, credit card fraud, computer fraud and bank fraud,” according to Nola.com.
Thompson allegedly used a driver’s license with his photo but the NFL player’s information to create a phony bank account and transfer vehicle titles, authorities said, including the blue Rolls-Royce Cullinan SUV he drove to the bank where he was arrested.
After being released from jail, he tried to get the Rolls-Royce back from the Sheriff’s Office but ultimately got himself arrested again after the vehicle was reported stolen.
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The seven-time Pro Bowler, three-time All-Pro, and one-time Super Bowl champion as a member of the Seahawks’ legendary “Legion of Boom” secondary had a major fallout with his ex-wife that resulted in police coming to his residence and seeing the two arguing in a parking lot with weapons in their hands back in 2020.
Nina was holding a knife and Earl with a gun in his hand. Officers approached with weapons drawn as both complied with orders and were placed in handcuffs and separated.
The video that was released months ago shows Earl telling officers that Nina was his wife and that “she caught me cheating.” Nina admitted to bringing a gun to an Airbnb to confront Earl and his brother for cheating on them.
Nina also admitted to bringing Earl’s gun to the location in order to scare him but said the firearm had not been loaded. Nina and her sister-in-law had found Earl and his brother in bed with other women. Thomas had managed to wrestle the loaded gun away from her as they made their way to the parking lot.
Earl was not charged in the altercation, but Nina was arrested and charged with burglary of a residence with intent to commit aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
The case was eventually dismissed in 2021.
Nina filed for divorce later in 2020 and the couple shares two children together.
