ORLANDO, Fla. – A man is accused in an identity fraud operation that victimized nationally recognized sports figures and celebrities who have homes in Florida, authorities said Tuesday.
Michael Todd Waters, 48, now faces 22 charges of identity fraud, according to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. Waters used to live on Caballero Road in Ocoee, investigators said.
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His victims include the following people:
- Johnny Damon, a retired professional baseball player.
- Howard Dwaine Dorough, an entertainer, best known for being one of the Backstreet Boys.
- Randal Hart Thomas and John Bryan Morgan, who are both lawyers with the firm Morgan & Morgan.
- Jennifer Capriati, a former professional tennis player.
- Barry Larkin, a retired professional baseball player.
- Joe Philbin, a professional football coach and the current offensive coordinator for the Green Bay Packers.
- Jason Paul Taylor, a former professional football player.
- Zachary Michael Thomas, a former professional football player.
- Matthew Robert Birk, a former professional football player.
- Sterling Hitchcock, a former professional baseball player.
- George William McNeill, Jr., a professional golfer.
- Scott Mabon Hoch, a professional golfer.
- Christopher Paul Resop, a former professional baseball player.
- Scott Skiles, a current NBA coach and former player.
- Jonathan Papelbon, a professional baseball player.
- Former Florida state Rep. Anthony Trey Traviesa
- Former Florida state Rep. Joe Hill Pickens
- Martin David Kiar, a current mayor in Broward County and a former Florida state representative.
Watters even had counterfeit Florida driver’s licenses made for McNeill and Dorough, officials said in their report.
Watters was arrested recently in Georgia on a warrant stemming from the investigation of the identity fraud operation. Watters, who was in federal custody, is now accused of the criminal use of personal identification information.
The situation started in September 2015, when the Altamonte Springs Police Department received information about alleged drug use involving Watters, according to a news release.
At the time, Watters used a fake name when police asked him to identify himself, officers said.
During a search, officers found several counterfeit driver’s licenses and, upon further investigation, found evidence that Watters intended to engage in more fraudulent and counterfeit activity, authorities said.
Agents with the FDLE took over for Altamonte Springs police and determined that Watters had obtained the personal information of at least 22 people. Agents learned information found on counterfeit driver’s licenses matched the true numbers and/or dates of birth belonging to actual victims. In other instances, victims’ information was used on blank counterfeit checks, officials said.
Watters is now being held at the Seminole County Jail. His bond is set at $220,000.