Ten former NFL players, headlined by Clinton Portis and Carlos Rodgers, are facing charges from the U.S. Justice Department after defrauding the league’s health care program.
The Justice Department filed charges Thursday against Portis, Rodgers, Robert McCune, John Eubanks, Tamarick Vanover, Ceandris Brown, James Butler, Frederick Bennett, Correll Buckhalter and Etric Pruitt, according to The Washington Post. Court documents said charges came after the group allegedly defrauded the NFL’s health care program of roughly $4 million. But the government plans to charge two additional players.
Former New England Patriots wide receiver Reche Caldwell and ex-New Orleans Saints wide receiver Joe Horn will likely be charged with conspiracy to commit health care fraud, per a press release.
Caldwell spent one season in New England (2006), making 61 catches in 16 games for 760 yards and four touchdowns. He retired after playing eight games with the Washington Redskins in 2007. The wideout served a 27-month prison sentence in 2015 after getting arrested for possession of the drug “Molly” with the intent to sell.
The group of players allegedly submitted $3.9 million in false claims to the NFL Player Health Reimbursement Account Plan for medical equipment, according to The Washington Post’s report.
