FC Cincinnati forward Darren Mattocks has been charged with two felonies in Pennsylvania, according to court records obtained by ESPN.
Mattocks, 29, has been charged with one count of making a false, fraudulent or incomplete insurance claim, and another count of theft by deception in Carroll Township, Washington County, Pennsylvania. Carroll Township is located about 26 miles south of Pittsburgh. The case was moved from District Court to the Court of Common Pleas in Washington County.
According to court documents, the complaint against Mattocks was first filed on Dec. 5, 2019, in which bail was set at $50,000. A formal arraignment is scheduled for Feb. 27, 2020.
The Cincinnati Enquirer was the first to report the charges against Mattocks. FC Cincinnati, citing a policy of not discussing the personal matters of players, declined to comment.
Mattocks' attorney, David J. Shrager, called the issue a "misunderstanding."
"My client respects both the laws of both his native country and the United States. He has never been in any kind of criminal trouble whatsoever in his life, and this matter is merely a misunderstanding regarding insurance laws here in Pennsylvania," Shrager said in a statement. "We look forward to clearing up this matter. We have been cooperating with the courts and continue to do so. We look forward to resolving this matter expeditiously."
MLS also wasn't immediately available for comment.
According to the Enquirer, Mattocks took part in the first leg of FCC's preseason camp in Tucson, Arizona, but hasn't been present for the second leg in Bradenton, Florida. The Enquirer reported that on a Jan. 30 conference call with reporters, manager Ron Jans said that Mattocks wasn't in the team's plans.
This was set to be Mattocks' second season with Cincinnati. Last year, he scored three goals in 21 league appearances. Overall, Mattocks has spent eight seasons in MLS, having also spent time with the Vancouver Whitecaps, Portland Timbers, and D.C. United. His career numbers stand at 40 goals in 207 league, cup and playoff appearances. A Jamaican international, Mattocks has made 45 appearances for the Reggae Boyz, scoring 15 goals.
Mattocks' legal troubles mark the second off-field incident that the organization has had to deal with in the last week. Earlier this week it emerged that Jans was being investigated by the league for using a racial slur in front of players. That investigation is ongoing.