sports
Former College Basketball Player Indicted on $2.2 Million Fraud Charges
Kerr Kriisa, a 6-foot-3 guard who played at Kentucky, Arizona, West Virginia and Cincinnati, was arrested and indicted Monday on charges tied to an alleged four-year fraud scheme. The Department of Justice said the scheme involved false representations, fabricated identities and deceptive communications that obtained nearly $2.2 million from multiple victims.
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Former college basketball player Kerr Kriisa was arrested and indicted Monday on charges tied to an alleged four-year fraud scheme, the Department of Justice announced. The 6-foot-3 Estonian guard played at Kentucky, Arizona, West Virginia and Cincinnati over six seasons. He appeared in 127 games and dealt with multiple injuries during his career.
According to the Department of Justice, Kriisa allegedly convinced one victim to send money by claiming his mother had cancer and needed treatment. He also allegedly posed as his mother to tell another victim he needed funds to save the family's farm. Kriisa further allegedly acted as a woman named Irene to sign a fraudulent promise to repay one victim $100,000 by a February deadline.
The indictment states the schemes used false representations, fabricated identities and deceptive communications. Kriisa played his final season at Cincinnati, averaging 5.8 points and 3.0 assists per game before a separated shoulder ended his year in February.
The government is seeking forfeiture of any proceeds traceable to the alleged offenses, including a money judgment of approximately $2.2 million.
"Financial fraud schemes erode trust and cause real harm to victims who believed they were helping someone in need," the Department of Justice statement said.
