fraud - Bad Sporters

Indo-Canadian Sikh bizman stripped off top award for admission fraud

admin — Sun, 14 Jun 2020 04:48:39 +0000

Indo-Canadian businessman and former national football player David Siddo has been stripped off the “Order of British Columbia” for his links to the US college admissions scandal of 2019.

In the scandal, over 50 people have been charged with paying millions in bribes to get their children admitted into top US institutions.

The 60-year-old Sikh businessman and investment banker pleaded guilty in Boston federal court in March for using bribes to get his two sons admitted into American colleges.

According to the FBI, Sidoo paid $100,000 (Rs 75 lakh) to the scandal mastermind William Rick Singer to use an imposter to take the standardized test (called SAT) on behalf of his elder son. It facilitated his son’s admission into Chapman University.

He paid another $100,000 for the admission of his younger son. He also paid imposters to write local British Columbian school exams for his sons.

Sidoo, who is yet to be sentenced for the fraud, has reportedly reached a plea bargain with the US attorney to face 90 days in jail and a fine of $250,000 (Rs 1.8 crore).

His sentencing hearing comes up on July 15.

The “Order of British Columbia” is the highest award given by British Columbia province in Canada for top achievers in different fields.

With this order, Sidoo has become the first person to be stripped off this award. He has been ordered to return the award insignia immediately.

A celebrated soccer player, Sidoo was the first Indo-Canadian to enter the Canadian Football League. Later, he was inducted into the British Columbia Football Hall of Fame.

To celebrate his achievements, his alma mater – the University of British Columbia in Vancouver – had renamed a stadium David Sidoo Field. But his name was removed from the stadium in March after he pleaded guilty to the fraud.

Sidoo’s father was one of the early immigrants from India. He was born in New Westminster which is part of the Vancouver area.

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Ex-Chelsea star Diego Costa charged with tax fraud and set to stand trial

admin — Sat, 30 May 2020 04:03:26 +0000

Former Chelsea striker Diego Costa is reportedly set to stand trial on charges of tax fraud in Spain next week.

The 31-year-old has been accused of failing to pay more than €1 million (£813,000) worth of taxes.

Costa is alleged to have not declared €5.15m (£4.19m) of total payments received when joining Chelsea in 2014, as well as €1m in image rights.

According to the Evening Standard, prosecutors are pushing for Costa to be put behind bars for a six-month period.

Such charges in Spain can be punished by a sentence in prison if the defendant is found guilty, though Costa is unlikely to be sent to jail.

Diego Costa is due in court next week on charges of tax fraud
(Image: SIPA USA/PA Images)

If found guilty, Costa could pay an increased fine to avoid jail time.

As it stands he is already facing a fine of €507,208 (£457,128), which could be upped by a further €36,500 (£32,896).

Barcelona star Lionel Messi was previously convicted of tax fraud and handed a 21-month prison sentence, which was later reduced to a fine.

Cristiano Ronaldo also struck a similar deal with the Spanish courts during his time at Real Madrid which saw him pay a €19million fine.

Costa moved to Chelsea for a fee of £32million from Atletico Madrid, to whom he has since returned.

He has made 19 appearances so far this season, including both legs of their Champions League last-16 victory against Liverpool.

His future at the Wanda Metropolitano could be in doubt though, as Napoli are demanding he be included in a player-plus-cash deal that would see Arkadiusz Milik go the other way.

Mirror Football’s Top Stories

Costa is officially due to appear in court on June 4 – just a week before the La Liga season is due to resume again following the coronavirus outbreak.

Atletico are currently sixth in the table, but just two points separates them and Sevilla in third.

Sign up to the Mirror Football email here for the latest news and transfer gossip.

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South Florida pharmacists charged in $87 million fraud case linked to former UF player

admin — Tue, 12 May 2020 10:02:41 +0000

Monty Grow, left, during his playing days with the Jacksonville Jaguars. The former Florida Gator was sentenced to 22 years in prison in 2018 in a military-related healthcare fraud case in Miami.

Herald archives

A couple of years ago, former University of Florida football standout Monty Grow was found guilty of pocketing $18 million in kickbacks for referring military service members and veterans to a local pharmacy that billed the U.S. government for unnecessary medications.

Grow, sentenced to 22 years in prison, has appealed his conviction.

But the federal investigation didn’t end with the ex-NFL player. It got bigger.

Miami prosecutors have charged two former employees with Pompano Beach-based Patient Care America with bilking $87 million from a military healthcare program run by the U.S. Department of Defense. The alleged scheme included patient referrals that Grow and several others steered to them through marketing companies over a one-year span, according to court records.

Matthew Smith, a pharmacist and former vice president of PCA, and Alisa Catoggio, a pharmacy technician, were charged in late April with conspiring to commit healthcare fraud by submitting bogus claims for prescribed drugs to the federal Tricare program for thousands of military service members and veterans who didn’t need them. The former PCA employees are accused of mixing ingredients to create expensive pain creams to treat the scars of military personnel with questionable prescriptions who were not charged any co-payments for the drugs.

The former football player, who owned a marketing firm, used telemedicine companies to prescribe the compound medications, paying them approximately $100 per telephone or video consultation. Grow and his associates filled out prescription forms, faxed them to telemedicine companies for signing by a doctor, and then sent them to the pharmacy.

According to court records, a pain cream prescription that costs the PCA pharmacy about $700 to fill could be reimbursed by Tricare for $16,000. Grow and his team of recruiters received $7,000 in commissions each time.

Of the $87 million that the PCA pharmacy collected from Tricare between 2014 and 2015, about half was kicked back to Grow, his team of associates and other companies for the patient referrals. In addition to healthcare fraud, both Smith and Catoggio are accused of paying and receiving healthcare kickbacks.

Prosecutor Jon Juenger, who handled the Grow case, declined to comment about the expanding pharmacy investigation. Smith’s defense attorney,

Ryan Stumphauzer, a former federal prosecutor who specialized in healthcare fraud cases, said his client “denies the criminal charges and looks forward to vindicating himself in court.”

Catoggio could not be reached for comment.

The Pompano Beach pharmacy business has been mired in controversy over kickback allegations involving the Tricare program for several years. In 2019, Patient Care America, CEO Patrick Smith and and pharmacist Matthew Smith, the former vice president of operations, agreed to settle a False Claims Act case with the Justice Department. PCA, along with a private equity firm, paid $21 million; Patrick Smith paid $300,000; and Matthew Smith paid $12,788. The payments resolving the civil case were based on the ability to pay, according to the Justice Department.

Patrick Smith, the CEO, was not charged criminally. But Matthew Smith, along with his assistant, Catoggio, were charged in the criminal case, which began with the prosecution of Grow and several others.

At Grow’s trial in 2018, the federal jury had to decide whether he intentionally defrauded the military healthcare program or was simply paid lavish but legitimate sales commissions by the pharmacy for referring thousands of patients to Tricare through his marketing company.

Grow’s lawyers urged U.S. District Judge Federico Moreno to be reasonable in his sentencing, which didn’t pan out. They pointed out that eight other defendants in the case — including former University of Florida star and retired NFL quarterback Shane Matthews — received punishment ranging from probation to less than two years. In the conspiracy to fleece the Tricare program, Matthews was sentenced to three months in prison for his bit role on Grow’s marketing team, lining up sales representatives who then landed patients for the PCA pharmacy.

At Grow’s appellate hearing via teleconference last month, his attorney David O. Markus argued that the doctors, not Grow, should be held responsible for the prescriptions. Markus argued that “in every single case a doctor had to approve of the prescription and the doctor was free to change it, alter it or not give it.”

“We have real doctors issuing real prescriptions to real patients who got their medicine,” he told the appellate panel in Atlanta. “Medical necessity was not an issue.”

Contacted by the Miami Herald on Monday, Markus expressed optimism about 48-year-old Grow’s appeal. “Both his conviction and sentence are extremely problematic,” he said.

Jay Weaver writes about bad guys who specialize in con jobs, rip-offs and squirreling away millions. Since joining the Miami Herald in 1999, he’s covered the federal courts nonstop, from Elian’s custody battle to A-Rod’s steroid abuse. He was on the Herald team that won the Pulitzer Prize for breaking news in 2001. He and three Herald colleagues were Pulitzer Prize finalists for explanatory reporting in 2019 for a series on gold smuggled from South America to Miami.

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Former Philadelphia Eagle Correll Buckhalter Charged in NFL Player Health Care Fraud Scheme

admin — Fri, 08 May 2020 02:39:12 +0000

What to Know

Former Eagles running back Correll Buckhalter is charged with receiving kickbacks for submitting false medical claims on behalf of other NFL players.
Buckhalter allegedly got paid thousands of dollars per false claim.
The scheme allegedly caused the NFL’s health care reimbursement plan to pay out more than $3.4 million in false claims.

A former Philadelphia Eagle is one of 10 ex-NFL players
charged with enriching themselves by filing false claims through a program
meant to help retired players and their families pay for medical expenses.

Former Eagles running back Correll Buckhalter is charged
with receiving bribes and kickbacks for submitting false claims for expensive medical
equipment on behalf of others, and recruiting fellow NFL players to join in the
scheme, according to a federal grand jury indictment unsealed Thursday.

Some of the fake claims were for equipment such as “hyperbaric
oxygen chambers, ultrasound machines designed for use by a doctor’s office to
conduct women’s health examinations, and electromagnetic therapy devices
designed for use on horses,” the indictment claims.

Buckhalter played for the Eagles between 2001 and 2008. He and his co-conspirators received anywhere from “a few thousand dollars to $10,000 or more” per fake claim, according to federal prosecutors.

The alleged scheme involved the defendants misusing the Gene Upshaw NFL Player Health Reimbursement Account Plan between roughly July 2017 and December of last year. The plan, funded by teams within the league, allows players to earn thousands of tax-exempt dollars for themselves, spouses or dependents per each season played beyond three seasons.

The cash is supposed to be used to cover legitimate medical expenses, with players and their families being reimbursed through the plan, but the defendants’ claims were allegedly fake.

Buckhalter was able to submit players’ fake claims by getting them to give him personal information, including their social security numbers, according to court documents. He allegedly went so far as to impersonate players by calling the phone number on the reimbursement form to check on the status of the claims.

To make the reimbursement forms seem real, Buckhalter and his co-defendants are alleged to have submitted fake letters – purportedly written by health care providers – describing players’ or their families’ use of the equipment, as well as submitting fake prescriptions and fake invoices for proof of purchase of the equipment.

The scheme caused the Gene Upshaw NFL Player Health Reimbursement Account Plan to pay out more than $3.4 million in fake claims, according to federal prosecutors.

Buckhalter is charged with conspiring to commit wire and health care fraud. If convicted, he could face up to 20 years in prison.

He will make his initial appearance in federal court in
Kentucky on Jan. 2, a Justice Department spokesman said. It is not yet known if
Buckhalter has obtained an attorney.

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Financier charged in admissions scandal indicted again on new tax fraud allegation

admin — Wed, 15 Jan 2020 04:31:59 +0000

Already charged with resorting to fraud and bribery to get his son into USC, John Wilson was indicted Tuesday on a new count of tax fraud, deepening the Massachusetts financier’s legal troubles and suggesting prosecutors have opened a new line of attack to pressure parents who have resisted plea deals.

For help getting his son into college, Wilson paid $220,000 in 2013 to William “Rick” Singer, a Newport Beach college admissions consultant who has admitted orchestrating a decade-long scheme to defraud some of the country’s most elite universities through doctored exams, fake athletic credentials and bribes.

Prosecutors allege Wilson was aware that Singer would misrepresent his son’s athletic prowess and intended to bribe Jovan Vavic, USC’s water polo coach. Wilson’s attorneys say the financier’s son was a bona fide water polo player and that Singer had led him to believe the payment was a legitimate donation to USC.

Wilson has pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to commit fraud, bribery and money laundering, one of 15 parents who have maintained their innocence in the scandal. Prosecutors are trying to extradite a 16th parent who was arrested in Spain.

Seventeen parents have pleaded guilty to an array of fraud and money laundering charges. Vavic, fired by the university in March, has pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to commit racketeering, fraud and bribery.

Federal prosecutors in Massachusetts unsealed a new indictment Tuesday, alleging Wilson committed tax fraud when he wrote off the payments in 2014. The day after his son was admitted to USC as a water polo recruit, Wilson emailed Singer, thanked him for “making this happen” and asked if he could bill him for “consulting or whatever” so he could pay with a corporate account, the indictment says.

“Yes we can send you an invoice for business consulting fees and you may write off as an expense,” Singer wrote.

Wilson’s reply, according to an affidavit filed in federal court: “Awesome!”

Singer’s accountant, Steven Masera, emailed an invoice to an employee at Wilson’s firm, Hyannis Port Capital, requesting $20,000 be paid to Singer for a “professional development program” and $100,000 to Singer’s for-profit counseling company for “business consulting.” Masera also attached a letter thanking Wilson for a $100,000 contribution to Singer’s purported charity.

Once Wilson’s firm wired the $220,000, the indictment says, Singer sent Vavic a $100,000 cashier’s check, made out to the USC men’s water polo program. Wilson wrote off the payments as charitable donations and business expenses on his 2014 tax returns, underreporting his taxable income, prosecutors allege. Wilson’s attorney didn’t respond to a request for comment. Masera has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit racketeering and is cooperating with the government.

Wilson pursued a similar deal in 2018 for his twin daughters, whom he hoped to see matriculate at Stanford or Harvard, prosecutors say. Pressed by Singer — who by that point was cooperating with the government — to commit $1.2 million, Wilson’s firm wired $500,000 to Singer’s foundation in October 2018, the indictment says.

“It’s a $500k donation I am going to make this year,” Wilson wrote to his assistant in an email, according to the indictment. “Tax write off and help getting into colleges.”

His firm wired another $500,000 two months later.

Several of Singer’s clients deducted similar payments from their tax bills, according to charging documents filed in the case. Elisabeth Kimmel, charged with conspiring to have her children admitted to Georgetown and USC as phony athletes, wrote off $275,000 that her family’s charity paid to Singer’s foundation, according to an affidavit filed in federal court. The wife of Homayoun Zadeh, a dentistry professor, asked Singer to furnish them with a tax receipt for a $25,000 donation, the affidavit says.

Zadeh has been charged with conspiring to commit fraud, bribery and money laundering to have his daughter admitted to USC — where he chaired the periodontology department — as a fake lacrosse player. Kimmel and Zadeh have pleaded not guilty.

USC, meanwhile, parted ways Tuesday with three top officials in the athletic department: Steve Lopes, its chief operating and financial officer; Ron Orr, who led fundraising efforts; and Scott Jacobson, who also worked in fundraising.

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Former NFL Player Living in McLean Charged in Alleged Health Fraud Case

admin — Sun, 12 Jan 2020 17:46:26 +0000

Clinton Portis, a former running back in the National Football League, was charged in connection to an alleged health benefits scam, according to the Department of Justice.

Portis and the nine former NFL players allegedly committed multi-million dollar fraud from expensive medical equipment that police say was never purchased or received, according to a press release from the Justice Department yesterday (Thursday).

Portis, who was a running back for the Washington Redskins, was charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and health care fraud, one count of wire fraud and one count of health care fraud.

Fox 5 DC reported that Portis surrendered to authorities in North Carolina today (Friday).

Portis sold his McLean home in 2013 for $1.65 million, according to Fairfax County records. A Sports Illustrated story about Portis in 2017 said he was living in an apartment in Northern Virginia.

The Department of Justice says that Portis is a McLean resident.

The alleged fraud targeted the Gene Upshaw NFL Player Health Reimbursement Account Plan (the Plan), which was established pursuant to the 2006 collective bargaining agreement and provided for tax-free reimbursement of out-of-pocket medical care expenses that were not covered by insurance and that were incurred by former players, their wives and their dependents – up to a maximum of $350,000 per player. According to the charging documents, over $3.9 million in false and fraudulent claims were submitted to the Plan, and the Plan paid out over $3.4 million on those claims between June 2017 and December 2018…

“The defendants are alleged to have developed and executed a fraudulent scheme to undermine a health care benefit plan established by the NFL — one established to help their former teammates and colleagues pay for legitimate medical expenses,” said U.S. Attorney Robert M. Duncan Jr. for the Eastern District of Kentucky. “The defendants allegedly submitted false claims to the plan and obtained money for expensive medical equipment that was never purchased or received, depriving that plan of valuable resources to help others meet their medical needs. We have prioritized the investigation and prosecution of health care fraud in our office, and we appreciate the partnership we share with the Criminal Division and the FBI in pursuing these important matters.”

“This investigation serves as an illustration of the rampant and deliberate scams against health care plans occurring daily throughout the country,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge George L. Piro of the Miami Field Office. “In this case, these fraudsters pocketed money from the Gene Upshaw National Football League Health Reimbursement Account Plan that was intended for former NFL players who are ill or infirm. Over 20 FBI field offices participated in this investigation which demonstrates the level of commitment we have to rooting out this type of fraud.”

Two separate indictments filed in the Eastern District of Kentucky outline two alleged conspiracies involving different players related to the same scheme to defraud the Plan. Those charged in the indictments are the following:

Robert McCune, 40, of Riverdale, Georgia, is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and health care fraud, nine counts of wire fraud and nine counts of health care fraud.

John Eubanks, 36, of Cleveland, Mississippi; Tamarick Vanover, 45, of Tallahassee, Florida; and Carlos Rogers, 38, of Alpharetta, Georgia, are each charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and health care fraud, two counts of wire fraud and two counts of health care fraud.

Clinton Portis, 38, of McLean, Virginia; Ceandris Brown, 36, of Fresno, Texas; James Butler, 37, of Atlanta, Georgia; and Fredrick Bennett, 35, of Port Wentworth, Georgia, are each charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and health care fraud, one count of wire fraud and one count of health care fraud.

Correll Buckhalter, 41, of Colleyville, Texas, and Etric Pruitt, 38, of Theodore, Alabama, are charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and health care fraud. In addition, the government has filed notice that it intends to file criminal informations charging Joseph Horn, 47, of Columbia, South Carolina, and Donald “Reche” Caldwell, 40, of Tampa, Florida, with conspiracy to commit health care fraud in the Eastern District of Kentucky.

The indictments charge that the scheme to defraud involved the submission of false and fraudulent claims to the Plan for expensive medical equipment — typically between $40,000 and $50,000 for each claim — that was never purchased or received. The expensive medical equipment described on the false and fraudulent claims included hyperbaric oxygen chambers, cryotherapy machines, ultrasound machines designed for use by a doctor’s office to conduct women’s health examinations and electromagnetic therapy devices designed for use on horses.

According to allegations in the indictments, McCune, Eubanks, Vanover, Buckhalter, Rogers and others recruited other players into the scheme by offering to submit or cause the submission of these false and fraudulent claims in exchange for kickbacks and bribes that ranged from a few thousand dollars to $10,000 or more per claim submitted. As part of the scheme, the defendants allegedly fabricated supporting documentation for the claims, including invoices, prescriptions and letters of medical necessity. After the claims were submitted, McCune and Buckhalter allegedly called the telephone number provided by the Plan and impersonated certain other players in order to check on the status of the false and fraudulent claims.

This case was investigated by the FBI and is being prosecuted by the Health Care Fraud Unit of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Kentucky. The investigation included efforts by various FBI Field Offices and Resident Agencies, including: Augusta, Georgia; Birmingham and Mobile, Alabama; Cleveland, Ohio; Chicago, Illinois; Columbia, South Carolina; Dallas and Houston, Texas; Denver, Colorado; Jackson, Mississippi; Lexington, Kentucky; New Orleans, Louisiana; Miami, Jacksonville and Tampa, Florida; Newark, New Jersey; Los Angeles, San Diego, Sacramento and Newport Beach, California; Phoenix, Arizona; Salt Lake City, Utah; and Washington, D.C.

Trial Attorneys John (Fritz) Scanlon, Alexander J. Kramer and Thomas J. Tynan of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paul C. McCaffrey and Andrew E. Smith of the Eastern District of Kentucky are prosecuting the cases.

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Former Saints player Joe Horn pleads guilty in NFL health care fraud case

admin — Sat, 11 Jan 2020 22:27:37 +0000

Horn admitted to signing documents agreeing to conspire with other former players to submit fraudulent claims worth $4 million to the Gene Upshaw NFL Player Health Reimbursement Account for medical equipment that was never provided to eligible members. Horn admitted in his plea that he received $149,775 for fake claims submitted in 2018, per NOLA.com.

Federal prosecutors charged 10 former players in the scheme on Dec. 12, including former Washington Redskins players Clinton Portis and Carlos Rogers.

Horn faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, but will likely receive a much more lenient punishment when sentenced in April. The plea likely signals a deal reached with prosecutors.

The original 10 players charged were: Portis, Rogers, Tamarick Vanover, Robert McCune, John Eubanks, Ceandris Brown, James Butler, Fredrick Bennett, Correll Buckhalter and Etric Pruitt. Horn and Reche Caldwell were charged days later.

Portis declined to comment to ESPN. His attorney, Mark Dycio, said in a statement last week that Portis was “taken aback” by the indictment and “will move forward with the process of clearing his good name and those of his fellow NFL alumni.”

“Many of the players named in the indictment are shocked to the allegations given that most if not all deny any participation in any scheme to defraud the insurance company,” Dycio said. “Clinton Portis has no knowledge that his participation in what he believed to be an NFL-sanctioned medical reimbursement was illegal.”

Authorities accuse those charged with recruiting other former NFL players to allow them to submit fraudulent requests for expensive medical devices, including hyperbaric oxygen chambers, cryotherapy machines and ultrasound machines, according to ESPN. The average claim was between $40,000 to $50,000.

The indicted players went so far as to create fake invoices and prescriptions for the devices and treatments, authorities allege, though they said there is no evidence that medical professionals signed off on the requests. Players received a portion of the reimbursement checks from the NFL health plan.

Per NOLA.com, Horn also admitted to paying off co-defendants Vanover and Caldwell, as well as others who assisted in the scheme, according to court documents.

Horn played 12 years in the NFL from 1996 to 2008, seven of them with the New Orleans Saints. He went to four Pro Bowls, and caught 58 career touchdown passes. He’s most well-known for his flamboyant touchdown celebrations, including in 2003 when he pulled a cellphone from beneath the padding around the base of the uprights and placing a call as he walked off the field.

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VIDEO: Ten Former NFL Players Charged in Alleged Nationwide Fraud on Health Care Benefit Program | – SpaceCoastDaily.com

admin — Sat, 11 Jan 2020 14:47:09 +0000

Former Players Allegedly Defrauded health care benefit program for retired NFL players

ABOVE VIDEO: Ten former National Football League players have been charged in the Eastern District of Kentucky for their alleged roles in a nationwide fraud on a health care benefit program for retired NFL players. (Fox 5 DC Video)

BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – Ten former National Football League players have been charged in the Eastern District of Kentucky for their alleged roles in a nationwide fraud on a health care benefit program for retired NFL players.

According to the charging documents, over $3.9 million in false and fraudulent claims were submitted to the Plan, and the Plan paid out over $3.4 million on those claims between June 2017 and December 2018.

“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,” said Assistant Attorney General Benczkowski.

“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.”

“The defendants are alleged to have developed and executed a fraudulent scheme to undermine a health care benefit plan established by the NFL – one established to help their former teammates and colleagues pay for legitimate medical expenses,” said U.S. Attorney Robert M. Duncan Jr., for the Eastern District of Kentucky.

“The defendants allegedly submitted false claims to the plan and obtained money for expensive medical equipment that was never purchased or received, depriving that plan of valuable resources to help others meet their medical needs. We have prioritized the investigation and prosecution of health care fraud in our office, and we appreciate the partnership we share with the Criminal Division and the FBI in pursuing these important matters.”

“In this case, these fraudsters pocketed money from the Gene Upshaw National Football League Health Reimbursement Account Plan that was intended for former NFL players who are ill or infirm. Over 20 FBI field offices participated in this investigation which demonstrates the level of commitment we have to rooting out this type of fraud.”

Two separate indictments filed in the Eastern District of Kentucky outline two alleged conspiracies involving different players related to the same scheme to defraud the Plan.

Those charged in the indictments are the following:

Robert McCune, 40, of Riverdale, Georgia, is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and health care fraud, nine counts of wire fraud and nine counts of health care fraud.
John Eubanks, 36, of Cleveland, Mississippi; Tamarick Vanover, 45, of Tallahassee, Florida; and Carlos Rogers, 38, of Alpharetta, Georgia, are each charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and health care fraud, two counts of wire fraud and two counts of health care fraud.
Clinton Portis, 38, of McLean, Virginia; Ceandris Brown, 36, of Fresno, Texas; James Butler, 37, of Atlanta, Georgia; and Fredrick Bennett, 35, of Port Wentworth, Georgia, are each charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and health care fraud, one count of wire fraud and one count of health care fraud.
Correll Buckhalter, 41, of Colleyville, Texas, and Etric Pruitt, 38, of Theodore, Alabama, are charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and health care fraud.

In addition, the government has filed notice that it intends to file criminal informations charging Joseph Horn, 47, of Columbia, South Carolina, and Donald “Reche” Caldwell, 40, of Tampa, Florida, with conspiracy to commit health care fraud in the Eastern District of Kentucky.

The indictments charge that the scheme to defraud involved the submission of false and fraudulent claims to the Plan for expensive medical equipment – typically between $40,000 and $50,000 for each claim – that was never purchased or received.

The expensive medical equipment described on the false and fraudulent claims included hyperbaric oxygen chambers, cryotherapy machines, ultrasound machines designed for use by a doctor’s office to conduct women’s health examinations and electromagnetic therapy devices designed for use on horses.

As part of the scheme, the defendants allegedly fabricated supporting documentation for the claims, including invoices, prescriptions and letters of medical necessity.

After the claims were submitted, McCune and Buckhalter allegedly called the telephone number provided by the Plan and impersonated certain other players in order to check on the status of the false and fraudulent claims.

As part of the scheme, the defendants allegedly fabricated supporting documentation for the claims, including invoices, prescriptions and letters of medical necessity. (DOJ image)

The investigation included efforts by various FBI Field Offices and Resident Agencies, including: Augusta, Georgia; Birmingham and Mobile, Alabama; Cleveland, Ohio; Chicago, Illinois; Columbia, South Carolina; Dallas and Houston, Texas; Denver, Colorado; Jackson, Mississippi; Lexington, Kentucky; New Orleans, Louisiana; Miami, Jacksonville and Tampa, Florida; Newark, New Jersey; Los Angeles, San Diego, Sacramento and Newport Beach, California; Phoenix, Arizona; Salt Lake City, Utah; and Washington, D.C.

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Clinton Portis Calls the Fraud Charges Against Him 'Fake News' – Sportscasting

admin — Sat, 11 Jan 2020 03:07:11 +0000

An unusual scandal has hit the football world. The United States Justice Department recently charged several former NFL players for attempting to defraud the league through its healthcare program. One of the more prominent players involved in the scandal was former Washington Redskins running back Clinton Portis.

Several former players are facing major consequences for their parts in the alleged scheme. Portis is the most famous of the bunch, but fans may recognize others implicated, too. Let’s take a closer look at who’s involved, the charges, and Portis’s reaction.

The NFL players involved in the scandal

Portis began his career with the Denver Broncos but played most of it with the Washington Redskins. The running back finished his career with 75 touchdowns and nearly 10,000 rushing yards.

While Portis is a tossup for Hall of Fame honors, he was certainly a great player for a significant stretch of his NFL career. The following former players have also been named in the charges:

Carlos Rogers
Robert McCune
John Eubanks
Tamarick Vanover
Ceandris Brown
James Butler
Frederick Bennett
Correll Buckhalter
Joe Horn
Reche Caldwell
Etric Pruitt

While some of these retired players are more famous than others, they were all named in the scandal by news outlets like NBC Sports Washington. But what, specifically, are the charges?

The fraud charges against Clinton Portis and others

NBC Sports Washington reported that the Justice Department charged 10 players with defrauding the NFL’s retired player healthcare program:

“The news broke Thursday morning when the Eastern District of Kentucky alleged that the retired players submitted fraudulent claims for medical equipment costing between $40,000-50,000 to the Gene Upshaw NFL Player Health Reimbursement Account Plan.”

The indictment said the NFL players in question filed the fraudulent claims from June 2017 through December 2018. The claims were for $3.9 million and the plan distributed $3.4 million in funds to the players.

The reason this scandal is so serious? It goes beyond rumor and hearsay; it involves a federal crime, which comes with costly penalties including heavy fines and potential jail time. So what did Portis have to say in his defense to such a serious accusation?

Clinton Portis’ reaction to the fraud charges against him

Clinton Portis attorney, Mark Dycio, says the former running back is innocent. Via @jjouvenal: “Clinton Portis had no knowledge that his participation in what he believed to be an NFL sanctioned medical reimbursement program was illegal.”

— Rick Maese (@RickMaese) December 12, 2019

Portis had two reactions: one from his attorney and the other directly from him. His lawyer, Mark Dycio, released this statement via the Washington Post:

“Clinton Portis had no knowledge that his participation in what he believed to be an NFL sanctioned medical reimbursement program was illegal. He is completely taken aback by this indictment and will move forward with the process of clearing his good name and those of his fellow NFL alumni.”

The Redskins’ Clinton Portis comes out after halftime in 2010 | Jonathan Newton/The Washington Post via Getty Images

Portis regularly appears on local Washington, D.C. media outlets to discuss the Redskins.

In a recent appearance on D.C.’s top sports radio station, 106.7 the Fan, he defended himself, claiming the charges were simply untrue: “I honestly don’t have anything to say. I just would hope that people that’s familiar with me … would know better. It’s some stuff that you see and you know exactly what it is.”

Portis also used a term commonly thrown around by both media outlets and President Trump, referring to the charges as “fake news.” The federal government clearly doesn’t agree. It’ll be interesting to see how the case plays out.

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How 10 former NFL players allegedly committed $3.9M in health care fraud

admin — Sat, 11 Jan 2020 02:00:41 +0000

The Department of Justice (DOJ) on Thursday announced that it has charged 10 former NFL players with fraud for allegedly submitting false claims for medical equipment totaling $3.9 million to a health benefits program for former players.

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Details on the charges

DOJ has charged the former players with making fraudulent claims to the Gene Upshaw NFL Player Health Reimbursement Account Plan. The plan provides tax-free reimbursement for out-of-pocket medical expenses incurred by former NFL players, their spouses, and their dependents.

The former players allegedly created false documentation—including invoices, prescriptions, and letters of medical need—to make claims for medical equipment, including hyperbaric oxygen chambers, cryotherapy devices, ultrasound equipment used in doctors’ offices for imaging on pregnant women, and electromagnetic therapy devices designed for horses, DOJ said. The claims the were typically between $40,000 to $50,000, according to DOJ.

DOJ said some of the players acted as “ringleaders” in the scheme, recruiting other former players to submit claims for kickbacks and bribes that in some cases reached more than $10,000 per claim. Two of the players even called the health benefits plan impersonating other players to check on the claims, DOJ said.

In total, DOJ said more than $3.9 million in false claims were filed, and the plan paid out more than $3.4 million between June 2017 and December 2018.

The fraud was detected by plan administrator Cigna, which became suspicious of the claims and alerted DOJ’s medical fraud division.

The indictments, which were filed in federal court by the Eastern District of Kentucky, are against:

Clinton Portis, former Washington Redskins and Denver Broncos running back;
Robert McCune, former Redskins linebacker;
John Eubanks, former Redskins cornerback;
Tamarick Vanover, former Kansas City Chiefs and San Diego Chargers wide receiver;
Ceandris “C.C.” Brown, former Houston Texans safety;
James Butler, former New York Giants and St. Louis Rams safety;
Fredrick Bennett, former Texans defensive back;
Etric Pruitt, former Atlanta Falcons and Seattle Seahawks defensive back;
Carlos Rogers, former Redskins and San Francisco 49ers cornerback; and
Correll Buckhalter, former Philadelphia Eagles running back.

In addition, DOJ intends to charge former New Orleans Saints wide receiver Joe Horn and former San Diego Chargers and New England Patriots wide receiver Donald “Reche” Caldwell with conspiracy, according to the New York Times.

Reaction

Assistant Attorney General Brian Benczkowski said, “By defrauding the plan and treating it like their own personal ATM machine, sadly, the defendants placed the plan’s tax-exempt status at risk and threatened the ability of law-abiding former players to continue to receive tax-free reimbursements for legitimate medical expenses for themselves or their families.”

George Piro, special agent in charge of the FBI‘s Miami Field Office, said the charges “serv[e] as an illustration of the rampant and deliberate scams against health care plans occurring daily throughout the country.”

Mark Dycio, an attorney for Portis, said Portis “had no knowledge that his participation in what he believed to be an NFL sanctioned medical reimbursement program was illegal. He is completely taken aback by this indictment and will move forward with the process of clearing his good name and those of his fellow NFL alumni” (Mangan, CNBC, 12/12; Belson, New York Times, 12/12; Fernandez, Axios, 12/12; Levenson et al., CNN, 12/12; DOJ release, 12/12).

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