A former Portland Timbers star stole more than $100,000 from a retired couple and will serve prison time in addition to restitution for the victims.

KGW photo

Fadi Afash.

Fadi Afash appeared in a Clark County court Wednesday where he pleaded guilty to four counts of identity theft, forgery, theft and unlawful use of a check. Ten other counts were dismissed.

Dale and Dianne Waddell, of Ridgefield, Wash., said former Timbers player Afash befriended them and they, in turn, treated him like a member of the family. They met Syrian born Afash at a former casino in La Center, Wash.

"He just seemed like a real nice guy. He said, ‘Do you want to come watch a soccer game?’ " said Diane Waddell.

Before long, he was at the Waddell house every day. He helped the couple on their rural, 10-acre Clark County farm.

 VIDEO: KGW report on alleged ID theft

"He'd just come here and do whatever we were doing, and it was like another family member,” Dianne said.

Before long, Afash started asking to borrow money. He told them his family was wealthy, but he couldn't get any of the cash.

KGW photo

Dale and Dianne Waddell.

"The government had frozen his assets. Homeland Security," said Dianne.

Soon, her Discover card disappeared and a bill for American Express appeared.

"So I called them and said, ‘Hey, I don't have an American Express card, what's the deal here? And he said, ‘Yeah, you do. You have four,’ " she said.

Bank and Sheriff's investigators said Afash applied online for the credit cards and a home equity loan using the Waddell's stolen identity.

Investigators believe Afash went to the Waddells' house every day to intercept their mail, and they estimate he spent an average of $10,000 a month over the past year.

"He's really tipped us over, and it isn't right,” Dale Waddell said. "We try to make our money last, and we were good enough to help him."

Afash was sentenced to 17 months in prison and a deal to repay the couple still had yet to be worked out. the judge said prosecutors should have asked for a harsher penalty due to the nature of the crimes.

Until a few weeks ago, Afash coached a youth soccer team in Tigard.