Former USC Player Indicted On Fraud Charges

Los Angeles CA

21 December, 2021

12:44 PM

Description

LOS ANGELES, CA — A former University of Southern California football player who grew up in Rancho Santa Margarita was arrested Monday on charges he participated in a scheme to get hundreds of thousands of dollars in COVID-related unemployment benefits. The Department of Justice announced Monday that 22-year-old Abdul-Malik McClain has been charged with 10 counts of mail fraud and two counts of aggravated identity theft. McClain, a linebacker, played for USC and transferred to Jackson State last December, according to ESPN. His hometown is Rancho Santa Margarita, ESPN reported. According to the indictment, "McClain organized and assisted a group of other football players in filing fraudulent claims for unemployment benefits." Players received Bank of America debit cards from the California Employment Development Department with hundreds or thousands of dollars loaded onto the cards, the release from the Department of Justice said. " McClain allegedly caused at least three dozen fraudulent applications to be filed with EDD during the summer of 2020," the press release said. "According to the indictment, those fraudulent applications sought at least $903,688 in PUA benefits and led the EDD to pay out at least $227,736." McClain pleaded not guilty to the charges, and was released on a $20,000 bond, the Department of Justice said. He will stand trial in February of 2022.