Sworn complaints filed Monday state that nine Florida football players committed more than $15,000 worth of credit card fraud this summer, with each of the players involved committing at least $550 worth of fraud.
University Police officers, who filed the complaints against the nine players — Antonio Callaway, Jordan Scarlett, Jordan Smith, Ventrell Miller, Rick Wells, Keivonnis Davis, Richerd Desir-Jones, James Houston and Kadeem Telfort — say the money was primarily used to purchase a variety of electronics from the UF bookstore, including laptops, iPads and headphones.
UPD recommended at least two charges for each player and every charge is for a third-degree felony. None of the charges were formally filed. It is up to the state attorney’s office to decide whether or not to prosecute.
Seven of the nine players were suspended indefinitely from all team activities on Aug. 13. Scarlett and Wells were suspended on Aug. 30, when reports surfaced that all nine players were involved in an investigation alleging credit card fraud.
“We obviously took this matter very seriously as evidence by Coach (Jim) McElwain’s decision to suspend the players immediately and indefinitely from all team activities,” Florida athletics director Scott Stricklin said in a statement on Monday. “We have respected the appropriate process from the beginning and will continue to do so.”
Telfort, a freshman offensive lineman from Miami, had 30 counts recommended on a variety of charges according to the complaint, the highest among the players. Telfort’s charges include fraudulent use of identity without consent, scheme to defraud and illegal use of credit cards, among others, according to the complaint. Smith, a redshirt freshman, had the second most with 18 counts recommended on a variety of charges, including fraudulent use of credit cards, identity fraud, and scheme to defraud, according to the complaint.
AlligatorSports has compiled the following information on each player based on sworn complaints from University Police.
According to UPD reports, all nine players are accused of systematically taking other peoples' credit card information, using the information to add money to their UF Bookstore debit accounts, and buying electronics like laptops, headphones and iPads.
WR Antonio Callaway (facing 2 charges)
-
Recommended charges: One for fraud/obtaining property for under $20,000, and another for possession and use of someone else’s credit card without consent.
-
Total amount of funds taken: $1,970
-
Total amount of funds spent: $1,970
-
Items ordered: MacBook Pro, one pair of Beats headphones
-
Player’s response: Callaway did not answer calls from police. Attorney didn’t contact law enforcement officials, per UPD report.
RB Jordan Scarlett (facing 2 charges)
-
Recommended charges: One for fraud/obtaining property for under $20,000, and another for possession and use of someone else’s credit card without consent.
-
Total amount of funds taken: $1,940
-
Total amount of funds spent: $1809.44
-
Items ordered: MacBook Pro, one pair of Beats headphones
-
Player’s response: Scarlett told police the money came from an agent in New York, and said Jordan Smith added the the money to his girlfriend’s bookstore account. Scarlett said he needed the funds and did not want to get in trouble so he used his girlfriend’s account. Scarlett told law enforcement officials he made a mistake because he thought he could get away with it, per UPD report.
DL Jordan Smith (facing 18 charges)
-
Recommended charges: 13 counts of fraudulent use of a credit card, four counts of using some else’s credit card without consent, and one for obtaining property under $20,000
-
Total amount of funds taken: $5,020
-
Total amount of funds spent: $4,722.69
-
Items ordered: MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, five pairs of beats headphones, bluetooth speaker, $1,450 in payments to UF Transportation and Parking
-
Player’s response: Smith declined to be interviewed and his attorney met with police to ask for a misdemeanor charge. Police said the lawyer's request was unlikely because the case included multiple stolen cards and multiple victims. Smith did not provide a statement through his attorney, per UPD report.
OL Kadeem Telfort (facing 30 charges)
-
Recommended charges: 13 counts of using someone else’s credit card without consent, 12 counts of fraudulent use of credit card, four counts of possession of a forged instrument and one count for fraud/obtaining property for under $20,000.
-
Total amount of funds taken: $1,450 to bookstore account, $89.48 for food deliveries
-
Total amount of funds spent: $1,667.36
-
Items ordered: 2 iPads, Sony PlayStation gift cards, an iPad mini plus insurance (later returned), a third iPad, two more gift cards
-
Player’s response: Telfort entered a not guilty on Monday, per UPD reports and Alachua County public records.
DL Keivonnis Davis (facing 2 charges)
-
Recommended charges: One for fraud/obtaining property for under $20,000, and another for possession and use of someone else’s credit card without consent.
-
Total amount of funds taken: $1,600
-
Total amount of funds spent: $1,330.20
-
Items ordered: MacBook Pro, Beats headphones, bluetooth speaker
-
Player’s response: Davis did not answer calls from police, per UPD report.
DL Richerd Desir-Jones (facing 2 charges)
-
Recommended charges: One for fraud/obtaining property for under $20,000, and another for possession and use of someone else’s credit card without consent.
-
Total amount of funds taken: $1,970
-
Total amount of funds spent: $1829.76
-
Items ordered: MacBook Pro, Beats headphones, USB cable
-
Player’s response: Desir-Jones declined to be interviewed by police. His lawyer told police that he will not speak to the police or give a statement, per UPD report.
LB Ventrell Miller (facing 2 charges)
-
Recommended charges: One for fraud/obtaining property for under $20,000, and another for possession and use of someone else’s credit card without consent.
-
Total amount of funds taken: $1,970
-
Total amount of funds spent: $1,330.19
-
Items ordered: MacBook Pro, Beats headphones
-
Player’s response: Miller's lawyer contacted police to say that he advised Miller not to talk to police or make a statement, per UPD report.
WR Rick Wells (facing 2 charges)
-
Recommended charges: One for fraud/obtaining property for under $20,000, and another for possession and use of someone else’s credit card without consent.
-
Total amount of funds taken: $875
-
Total amount of funds spent: $849.87
-
Items ordered: Two iPads
-
Player’s response: On Aug. 22, Wells came to police and said his girlfriend added the money to his bookstore account online. Wells said he wasn't involved in any fraud and that he bought an ipad for himself and his girlfriend. Well's girlfriend said she used her own credit card to fund Wells' bookstore account, but could not provide the amount she added. Her credit card number did not match the number used to fund Wells' bookstore account. Wells' lawyer told police that he advised Wells not to speak with police or make any further statements, per UPD report.
LB James Houston (facing 2 charges)
-
Recommended charges: One for fraud/obtaining property for under $20,000, and another for possession and use of someone else’s credit card without consent.
-
Total amount of funds taken: $550
-
Total amount of funds spent: $424.94
-
Items ordered: one iPad
-
Player’s response: Houston’s lawyer told police he advised Houston not to speak to police or make a statement, per UPD report
Nine players are facing a combined 62 possible third-degree felony charges, per UPD.
