Fmr. Philadelphia Eagle Irving Fryar: I am not guilty

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Former Pro Bowl wide receiver and Philadelphia Eagle Irving Fryar is trying to clear his name.

Earlier this month, a Burlington County jury convicted Fryar and his mother in a $1.2 million dollar mortgage fraud scheme.

He recently sat down with Action News to tell his side of the story

"I am not guilty of this. I did not do this," Fryar, a former 6abc sports analyst, said. "I wasn't aware of what was going on, I had nothing to do with it, neither did my mother."

Far from the NFL spotlight, Fryar is now a minister and spends his time preaching at the New Jerusalem House of God, a church he founded in Mount Holly, New Jersey.

"It's my faith that's gotten me this far," Fryar said.

Fryar says this all started when he was introduced to fellow fraternity brother, William Barksdale, in 2008.

"We started some real estate transactions together, legitimate real estate transactions," Fryar said.

Fryar's mother got involved with Barksdale when she decided to sell her two-story home in Willingboro.

Fryar says he moved McGhee into a home Barksdale had recently refurbished.

He says Barksdale then took McGhee to six different banks between December 2009 and January 2010 in search of the best loan.

"She applied and she was approved for all of the ones that he took her around and signed for," Fryar said.

Fryar contends he and his mother were unaware that Barksdale kept all six loans given to her.

Fryar maintains he knew nothing about Barksdale's scheme until he was indicted in October 2013.

"I had no idea until the charges were brought against me and then I began to find out what was transpiring," Fryar said.

But prosecutors say Fryar was in on it and even received or spent over $200,000 of proceeds from the loans.

Fryar denies that.

"All of that money, every last single dime, went into Barksdale's accounts," Fryar said.

Barksdale testified for the prosecution during the trial.

"I'm thinking to myself that this guy is trying to put not just me, but he's trying to put my mother in jail," Fryar said.

Mark Fury, the attorney for McGhee, believed Barksdale's testimony actually helped the defense.

"Mr. Barksdale absolved Ms. McGhee from the stand of any responsibility," Fury said.

But the jury wasn't convinced and issued a guilty verdict for both Fryar and his mother.

"They just got it wrong this time. Sometimes a jury can be misled, sometimes they get it wrong," Fury said.

Fury has filed motions claiming prosecutorial misconduct and lack of evidence.

"The judge has the power to either direct a verdict of not guilty or at least offer the defendants a new trial," Fury said.

It is an outcome that Fryar and his mother pray will happen.

"I mean, we're set up for a miracle here," Fryar said.

Fryar says this by far the biggest fight he's ever had to deal with.

In exchange for testifying against Fryar and McGhee, Barksdale was sentenced to 20 months in prison; he had faced a maximum of 30 years.

The convictions for Fryar and McGhee carry a sentence of five to 10 years and a fine of up to $150,000.

Their sentencing is scheduled for October 2nd.