Retired players charged with defrauding health care program

Former running back Clinton Portis is one of 10 retired players facing federal charges for allegedly filing fraudulent claims against the NFL's health care program. "Ten former NFL players allegedly committed a brazen, multimillion-dollar fraud on a health care plan meant to help their former teammates and other retired players pay legitimate, out-of-pocket medical expenses," Assistant Attorney General Brian Benczkowski said in a statement. "Today's indictments underscore that, whoever you are, if you loot health care programs to line your own pockets, you will be held accountable by the Department of Justice."

The Justice Department filed charges Thursday morning in the Eastern District of Kentucky, accusing the players of filing $3.9 million in false claims. The health plan paid out more than $3.4 million on those claims from June 2017 to December 2018, according to court records. The other players charged are Robert McCune, John Eubanks, Tamarack Vanover, Carlos Rogers, Ceandris Brown, James Butler, Fredrick Bennett, Correll Buckhalter, and Etric Pruitt. The government said it also intends to file charges against Joe Horn and Reche Caldwell.

Four players were arrested Thursday morning, including McCune, Eubanks, Brown, and Rogers, according to The Washington Post. The others were expected to surrender at some point on Thursday. The players allegedly submitted fraudulent claims to the Gene Upshaw NFL Player Health Reimbursement Account Plan seeking reimbursement for expensive medical equipment, including hyperbaric oxygen chambers, cryotherapy machines, and ultrasound devices. The equipment claims ranged from $40,000 to $50,000.

The government says the players fabricated invoices and prescriptions and also recruited others into their scheme by offering to submit claims in return for kickbacks of up to $10,000. Portis, who rushed for nearly 10,000 yards in nine seasons with the Denver Broncos (2002-03) and Washington Redskins (2004-10), denied any involvement through his attorney.

"Clinton Portis had no knowledge that his participation in what he believed to be an NFL sanctioned medical reimbursement program was illegal," attorney Mark Dycio told The Washington Post. "He is completely taken aback by this indictment and will move forward with the process of clearing his good name and those of his fellow NFL alumni." 

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