Florida man admits to charity fraud

JUPITER, Fla., March 30 (UPI) -- A Florida man who cast himself as a former Oakland Raider to help raise money for charity has admitted he never played for the NFL team.

While he had presented himself as an NFL veteran at numerous charitable events, Ed McCabe has admitted he fabricated his persona to serve as a charitable leader in his community, The Palm Beach (Fla.) Post reported Saturday.

"I have never been on an active NFL roster," McCabe said. "My time and effort has been donated to help the NFL alumni and these charities when no one else in the area would take the lead."

The 49-year-old had claimed to have played for the Raiders in 1980 when the team won the AFC championship and he would even offer autographed photographs of him allegedly performing on the field.

Those who worked with McCabe on several fundraising golf tournaments in Florida's Palm Beach County, say they were shocked to learn the truth.

"In his office are all of these pictures of him with the football players from different teams, at different events, and you don't really question anyone," Cancer Alliance President Jean Fischer told the Post. "I'm just so disappointed."