A 25-year-old man, who looks nothing like Chad Johnson, was arrested for reportedly pretending to be the ex-NFL player at a Louis Vuitton store in Aspen, Colorado Friday (July 14). According to the Aspen Times, Mervin Cabe of Miami purchased more than $18,000 worth of merchandise, after telling employees that he was the ex-NFL player.
Cabe’s plan fell apart when he couldn’t verify his identity claim in order for the purchase to be approved. Since Johnson happens to be a frequent Louis Vuitton patron, Cabe was asked to give the former professional athlete’s phone number listed on his customer profile ID.
When he failed to come up with the right number, Cabe reportedly tried to use a credit card to buy the goods. The card was declined twice, before Cabe decided to use an Apple pay account.
The transaction went through, and although Cabe walked away with $18,548 in merch, he didn’t get very far. When questioned by police about his identity, Cabe stuck to the Johnson story (even though he wasn’t able to give cops the correct birth date for Johnson).
In an affidavit reported by the Aspen Times, Cabe was described as being “highly evasive” and repeating the same “nonsensical story.” He also declined to turn over the credit card that he attempted to use, and the Apple Pay account number.
A police sergeant at the store claims Cabe asked to speak with him and confessed, “You’re going to have to take me…to jail. I’ve done something bad.”
Cabe was arrested for felony identity theft and unauthorized use of a financial transaction device, but Johnson wants to post his bail.
I should bail dude out & be his mentor & introduce him to my lifestyle of frugality & freedom outside of society’s standards.
— Chad Johnson (@ochocinco) July 19, 2017
In a followup tweet, 39-year-old Johnson explained that he didn’t want Cabe adding to the number of incarcerated black men.
“It’s enough of us locked up as is,” he wrote. “I’ll bail him out, just want to talk to the young bull that’s all.”