Source: Icon Sports Wire / Getty
Former Washington Washington Football Team running back Clinton Portis, ex-Saints wide receiver Joe Horn are among a group of ex-NFL players in some serious trouble. They have all been charged with defrauding the league’s health program of millions of dollars TMZ Sports reports.
According to court docs obtained by the gossip site, Portis, Horn, Robert McCune, John Eubanks, Tamarick Vanover, Ceandris Brown, James Butler, Fredrick Bennett, and Etric Pruitt concocted a scheme back in 2017 to make money off of the Gene Upshaw NFL Player Plan by making fraudulent claims.
Per TMZ Sports:
“Officials say the scheme wasn’t too complicated … Portis and the former players allegedly made up fake claims, submitted them to the plan (which is designed to help retired players pay for medical bills), and were reimbursed.”
Four of the men involved have been arrested, it’s unclear if Portis was one of them. If convicted, Portis and those involved are facing up to 20 years in prison and fines that could exceed $250,000.
Portis’ attorney, Mark Dycio spoke on behalf of his client via a statement:
“Many of the players named in the indictment are shocked to the allegations given that most, if not all, deny any participation in any scheme to defraud the insurance company. Clinton Portis has no knowledge that his participation in what he believed to be an NFL-sanctioned medical reimbursement was illegal. 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.”
The department says the investigation is still ongoing, and the NFL and NLFPA are fully aware of the probe.
Photo: Icon Sports Wire / Getty
