Ex-NFL Players Plead Guilty to Health Care Fraud Scheme | Sports News

By STEPHEN WHYNO, AP Sporting activities Author

WASHINGTON (AP) — Previous NFL gamers Clinton Portis, Tamarick Vanover and Robert McCune pleaded guilty for their roles in a nationwide well being treatment fraud plan and could confront many years in prison, the U.S. Division of Justice introduced Tuesday.

Portis, Vanover and McCune admitted to defrauding an NFL plan established up to reimburse professional medical expenses not included by insurance plan for retired gamers and their family members, the Justice Division reported.

McCune could be going through lifestyle in jail just after pleading responsible to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and well being treatment fraud, 13 counts of health and fitness treatment fraud, 11 counts of wire fraud and 3 counts of aggravated id theft. He is scheduled to be sentenced Nov. 19.

The DOJ said McCune orchestrated the scheme that resulted in approximately $2.9 million worth of untrue and fraudulent statements currently being submitted and $2.5 million paid out in between June 2017 and April 2018.

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Portis and Vanover every single pleaded responsible to conspiracy to commit health and fitness treatment fraud and could confront up to 10 many years in jail. In accordance to court paperwork, Portis was dependable for just less than $100,000 and Vanover just less than $160,000 in benefits for expensive professional medical products that have been not provided.

They agreed to pay out again that funds. Portis is scheduled for sentencing on Jan. 6 and Vanover on Jan. 22.

An NFL spokesman did not right away react to a ask for for remark.

The league established the Gene Upshaw NFL Player Wellness Reimbursement Account System following the 2006 collective bargaining agreement to provide tax-cost-free reimbursement of clinical fees up to $350,000 per participant.

Portis, Vanover and McCune ended up at first indicted in the Jap District of Kentucky in December 2019. Twelve other retired gamers had previously been charged and pleaded responsible to conspiracy to commit overall health care fraud, which include former Chiefs and Saints receiver Joe Horn and longtime defensive back Carlos Rogers.

The FBI investigated the situation across the U.S., according to the Justice Department.

McCune, 42, was a 2005 fifth-spherical draft pick who performed 8 NFL game titles at linebacker with Washington and Baltimore.

Vanover, 47, was taken in the third spherical of the 1995 draft by Kansas Metropolis and performed 77 video games at receiver for the Chiefs and Chargers.

Portis, 40, was a 2nd-spherical pick of the Broncos in 2002 and won AP Offensive Rookie of the Calendar year honors that 12 months. The jogging back performed 113 game titles with Denver and Washington from 2002-2010.

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