Clinton Portis was among three former NFL players who have pleaded guilty to their role in a nationwide scheme to spoof a health care program for retired NFL players, the US Justice Department said Tuesday.
Portis, 40, a former running back who was drafted by the Broncos in 2002 and spent the bulk of his career with Washington, faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. He is to be sentenced on January 6.
The alleged plan targeted the Gene Upshaw NFL Player Health Reimbursement Account Plan, which was established in 2006 to help retired players cover medical expenses.
According to court documents, Portis caused him to submit false and fraudulent claims to the plan over a two-month period, receiving $99,264 in benefits for medical equipment that were not actually provided.
Portis, who earned two Pro Bowl selections during an NFL career spanning 2002 to 2010, and former wide receiver Tamrick Vanover pleaded guilty Friday to conspiracy to commit health care fraud, two days after their trial with a hung jury. Both Portis and Vanover agreed to pay full restitution for the Upshah plan.
Vanover, 47, who played for the Chiefs and Chargers from 1995 to 2002, received $159,510 in benefits for medical equipment that were not actually provided and faced a maximum prison sentence of 10 years. He is to be sentenced on January 22.
Testing was due to begin again on Tuesday for Portis and Vanover.
Former NFL linebacker Robert McCune, the third defendant in that lawsuit who played for the Washington and Ravens from 2005 to 2008, pleaded guilty to wire fraud and conspiracy to commit health care fraud, 13 counts of health care fraud, and 13 counts of wire fraud. 11 cases and three cases of identity theft increased on the second day of trial.
According to the Justice Department, McCune, 40, orchestrated the nationwide scheme, which accumulated $2.9 million in fraud claims in the Upshaw scheme, with $2.5 million to be paid. He is to be sentenced on November 19 and faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for wire fraud and conspiracy to commit health care fraud, 10 years for each count of health care fraud, 20 years for each count of wire fraud. Does matter. Two years for each count of increased identity theft.
Portis was one of 10 former NFL players charged in December 2019 with allegedly defrauding a health care program worth more than $3.4 million by filing false claims for hyperbaric oxygen chambers and other expensive medical equipment .
A total of 15 people have pleaded guilty in relation to this scheme.