Back in 2019, Clinton Portis and numerous other NFL players were caught up in a huge fraud scheme that sought to payout players for false healthcare claims. The NFL’s Gene Upshaw NFL Player Plan is a program designed to give players the healthcare they need when they need it the most. Playing in the NFL can be costly to one’s physical health, and this program has been there for the players who have fallen on tough times.
Portis, however, was allegedly using the program to submit false claims so that he could pocket the money sent to him by the league’s healthcare program. It was fairly elaborate and it reportedly made Portis upwards of $100K.
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After a jury couldn’t come to a decision on his case, Portis was subjected to a retrial where he decided to simply plead guilty and cut a deal with the prosecution. According to TMZ, Portis will now have to serve six months in prison, which is a pretty good deal when you consider he was facing 10 years. Once he gets home, Portis will do another six months of at-home confinement, followed by a probation period of three years.
Needless to say, this is definitely going to make other players think twice before pulling a similar stunt.
[Via]