One of the most prolific rushers in NFL history is in some seriously hot water.
Retired running back Chris Johnson recently was accused of funding murder-for-hire shootings in 2016 that left two men dead, according to court documents obtained by TMZ.
The 34-year-old has not been charged with a crime and has denied any wrongdoing. The accusations are part of a larger case centered around a Florida-based drug trafficking organization, for which Johnson is accused (again, not charged)Â of helping with “day-to-day operations,” per TMZ.
Here’s the story:
Johnson was shot in the shoulder March 8, 2015, in Orlando, Fla., as part of a shooting that left his friend, Dreekius Johnson, dead. Authorities reportedly believe the shooting was a gang-related murder attempt on Chris Johnson, who allegedly rewarded revenge murders executed months later by gang member Dominic Bolden. The two men Bolden allegedly gunned down in 2016 are believed to be the men who shot at Johnson and killed his friend in 2015.
NFL's Chris Johnson Accused In Murder-For-Hire Shootings, Denies Allegationshttps://t.co/2AyTiypFw9
— TMZ Sports (@TMZ_Sports) April 9, 2020
According to officials, an informant supplied them with vital information about the case.
From TMZ:
In the court docs, officials claim an informant told them as a reward for Bolden’s alleged actions … Chris helped the guy become a leader of a famed drug trafficking organization (DTO) in Florida. The informant told officials that Johnson supplied Bolden “with funds and an individual who could continually supply Dominic Bolden with as much narcotics as needed to supply the DTO.” The informant also told officials the “murder for hire elevated Dominic Bolden’s rank, reputation and power within the DTO” — eventually making Bolden the org’s de facto leader.
TMZ reached out to one of Johnson’s representatives, who said, “There’s no validity to any of these accusations.”
Johnson in 2009 rushed for 2,006 yards, the sixth-highest single-season total for a running back. His 9,651 rushing yards rank 35th in NFL history.
The East Carolina product retired 2018 after a 10-year career with the Tennessee Titans, New York Jets and Arizona Cardinals.
