Former NFL Player, Carlsbad Resident Accused in Fraud Scheme

A Carlsbad man who played in the National Football League for five years has been charged along with four others in a $50 million fraud scheme. 

Byron Frisch, 36, who played for the Tennessee Titans, Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants and San Francisco 49ers from 2000-2004, was arraigned in federal court on Thursday, said U.S. Attorney Laura Duffy said in a statement. 

Also charged were Kristian Giordano, 36, of Temecula; Brenda Barrera Merriles, 43, of San Diego; and Kasra Sadr, 43, of San Diego. 

Frisch is a financial analyst specializing in retirement planning, according to his LinkedIn page. He was a football standout at Bonita Vista High School, and attended Brigham Young University on scholarship. 

According to U-T San Diego, all four defendants are charged with conspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud. They are suspected of trying to obtain up to $50 million worth of life insurance policies from clients who did not plan on paying premiums on the policies. 

"The co-defendants recruited elderly individuals to apply for 'free' life insurance policies with million-dollar death benefits, then submitted applications with false information about the applicants’ net worth and income," the statement stated.