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A former NFL player allegedly created a fake hate crime at his Georgia business in which he claimed burglars spray painted racial slurs, swastikas and “MAGA” at his bakery.
Edawn Louis Coughman, 31, was arrested Thursday on charges of filing a false report of a crime, insurance fraud, and concealing a license plate after he told police a burglar was responsible for spray painting racist language and imagery on the walls of his bakery, according to Gwinett County Police.
“It appears as though Edawn conjured a premeditated plan to damage his own property, attempt to make it appear as a hate crime, file a claim with his insurance company, and sell off the undamaged appliances and electronics,” police said.
Photos taken by police at the scene show spray painted words and images, including the n-word, a swastika and “MAGA” — an abbreviated version of President Donald Trump’s campaign slogan, “Make America Great Again.”
Police said that they were called for a burglary report at Coughman’s business, Create and Bake Restaurant and Coughman’s Creamery, in the Atlanta suburb of Lawrenceville on Wednesday night. The 911 caller told police that someone was driving a black Chevrolet Silverado with no license plate.
When officers arrived to the shopping center, they stopped a truck matching the description and saw Coughman driving the Silverado. It appeared that Coughman had several televisions in the back of the truck with mounting brackets on the back with “damaged drywall” attached, police said.
Kurgen
Article URL : https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/ex-nfl-player-accused-staging-hate-crime-painting-maga-swastikas-n1054591