Nine people in South Dakota and Florida including former and at least one current football player for the University of South Dakota have been indicted by a federal grand jury for tax fraud and identity theft.
U.S. Attorney for South Dakota Brendan Johnson says the suspects allegedly stole the identities of others and filed bogus income tax returns showing about $1.1 million in refunds due. He says the Internal Revenue Service paid fraudulent claims of about $500,000.
Some of the people charged are former high school football standouts in the Tampa area who played or are playing for USD.
Johnson says five of the suspects were arrested Thursday in the Tampa area, two were arrested in South Dakota and two have yet to be arrested.