Ex-football star Irving Fryar and his mother found guilty in New Jersey mortgage scam case

Former NFL star Irving Fryar has been found guilty in New Jersey of a role in a mortgage scam and faces up to 10 years in prison.

A jury found Friday that the 52-year-old former wide receiver applied for multiple mortgage loans in quick succession while using the same property as collateral.

Fryar's defense was that he was a victim of a "con artist" who told him to carry out the scheme. That man, William Barksdale, pleaded guilty to a conspiracy charge last year and was the government's key witness.

Fryar's mother also was convicted. Neither Fryar nor his mother testified. Sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 2.

Fryar played for the University of Nebraska. He played in the NFL for the New England Patriots, the Miami Dolphins, the Philadelphia Eagles and the Washington Redskins.