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Runningback Clinton Portis of the Washington Redskins against the Philadelphia Eagles in 2010. Photo: Hunter Martin /Philadelphia Eagles/Getty Images
The Justice Department has charged 10 former NFL players Wednesday with allegedly defrauding the health care benefit program for retired athletes.
The big picture: The charges follow an FBI investigation that showed the players filed nearly $4 million in false and fraudulent claims under the Gene Upshaw NFL Player Health Reimbursement Account Plan, which paid out more than $3.4 million between June 2017 and Dec. 2018.
The charges were filed in the Eastern District of Kentucky against:
- Robert McCune
- John Eubanks
- Tamarick Vanover
- Ceandris Brown
- James Butler
- Fredrick Bennett
- Correll Buckhalter
- Etric Pruitt
- Clinton Portis
- Carlos Rogers
Former NFL wide receivers Joe Horn and Reche Caldwell will also be charged with conspiracy to commit health care fraud.
“Ten former NFL players allegedly committed a brazen, multi-million dollar fraud on a health care plan meant to help their former teammates and other retired players pay legitimate, out-of-pocket medical expenses. 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.”— Assistant attorney general Brian Benczkowski said in a statement
Go deeper: Health care's fraud and abuse laws are getting overhauled