Former NFL running back Michael Bennett will spend the next five years in prison, after pleading no contest to felony charges of burglary and identity theft.
According to Filipa Ioannou of the San Francisco Chronicle, the 38-year-old Bennett took out $225,000 in loans in the name of his girlfriend’s parents. He broke into their home to steal paperwork he used to steal their identities and apply for the loans.
At the time of the incident, he was on probation in Florida for a wire fraud incident.
“The defendant used a position of trust within this victim’s family to exploit and take advantage of them,” district attorney Jill Ravitch said in a statement.
Bennett, the 27th overall pick in the 2001 NFL Draft by the Vikings, was a former Pro Bowler. He also played for the Saints, Chiefs, Buccaneers, Chargers, and Raiders. He made the Pro Bowl after the 2002 season, when he ran for 1,296 yards. But injuries derailed his career after that, and he never rushed for more than 500 yards in any other season.
