Iowa will begin looking into the troubling allegations about the program brought forth by a bevy of former players.

In a statement, longtime Hawkeyes head coach Kirk Ferentz said that criticisms — which have predominantly come from black players — have been “difficult and heartbreaking” to read. 

“There are too many racial disparities in the Iowa football program,” wrote former Iowa and current Chicago Bears offensive lineman James Daniels. “Black players have been treated unfairly for far too long.”

Ferentz said what happens next is “a defining moment for the Iowa Hawkeye football program.”

“Over the past 24 hours I have seen some difficult and heartbreaking posts on social media,” Ferentz said. “I appreciate the former players’ candor and have been reaching out to many of them individually to hear more about their experiences in our program. I am planning on talking to all of them in the coming days. This is a process that will take some time, but change begins by listening first.”

Many of the comments from former players centered on negative — and sometimes racially charged — experiences in Iowa’s strength program, led by coach Chris Doyle. 

Doyle, who has been at Iowa as long as Ferentz has been head coach (since 1999), has been placed on administrative leave effective immediately. Ferentz said the school will conduct an “independent review” into his alleged conduct. Doyle, who makes $800,000 per year, is the highest-paid strength coach in the country. While Doyle is on leave, assistant strength coach Raimond Braithwaite will lead the strength program.

“I have spoken with [Doyle] about the allegations posted on social media. They are troubling and have created a lasting impact on those players,” Ferentz said. “He and I agree that all parties will have their voices heard and then a decision about how to move forward will be made.”

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Additionally, Ferentz said he will create an advisory committee made up of current and former players, as well as department staff, to help steer the program forward from a culture perspective. 

“This will be a diverse group that will be able to share without judgement so we can all examine where we are today and how we can have a better environment tomorrow,” Ferentz said. 

In their social media posts, many of the players said they felt like they could not be themselves inside the walls of the Iowa football facility. Ferentz says he wants to change that. 

“In our program there are high standards and accountability — we have a good team of players, coaches and staff members. But it is clear we can do more to create a welcoming and respectful environment where every player can grow, develop and become the best version of himself,” Ferentz said. 

Ferentz later added that the changes in the program “begin with me.”

Iowa athletic director Gary Barta said the revelations brought out by the former players have left him “concerned.”

“It is important that we reach out and listen to both current and former players. We must be willing to improve and change,” Barta said. 

Iowa established a diversity task force back in 2018 to address graduation rates among African American male student-athletes at the school. Barta said the athletic department has made positive strides, but it’s clear that “there is more to do.”

“As part of the process, the task force interviewed current and former student-athletes to better understand our department’s climate towards diversity and the experiences of student-athletes. It was evident at that time we needed to improve as a department. While we have taken several steps to address these issues, there is more to do,” Barta said. 

“Ultimately, our success will be defined by our actions. Our greatest victory won’t be found on a box score but a willingness to speak out against racism, and to make sure every student-athlete, coach, and staff member feel safe, supported and that they have a voice that is empowered.”

More from Yahoo Sports:

Assistant Attorney General Brian Benczkowski, center, in charge of the criminal division at the Dept. of Justice, U.S. Attorney Robert Duncan, of the Eastern District of Kentucky, left, and FBI Special Agent George Piro, right, in charge of the FBI’s Miami office, appears at a news conference to announce charges against ten former National Football League (NFL) players who are accused of defrauding an NFL health care program, at the Justice Department in Washington, Thursday, Dec. 12, 2019. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen)

By MICHAEL BALSAMO Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — Ten former NFL players were charged in a multimillion-dollar scheme to defraud the league’s health care benefit program by submitting false claims for medical equipment, including devices used on horses, the Justice Department said Thursday.
The players were charged in two separate indictments filed in federal court in Kentucky, accusing them of conspiracy, wire fraud and healthcare fraud. Prosecutors allege they submitted nearly $4 million in phony claims, leading to payouts of about $3.4 million between June 2017 and December 2018.
Those charged include five former players on the Washington Redskins, including Clinton Portis and Carlos Rogers.
Prosecutors allege the players targeted the Gene Upshaw NFL Player Health Reimbursement Account Plan, which was established as part of a collective bargaining agreement in 2006. It provides tax-free reimbursement of out-of-pocket medical care expenses that were not covered by insurance and that were incurred by former players, their spouses and dependents.
“As outlined in the indictments, a group of former players brazenly defrauded the plan by seeking reimbursements for expensive medical equipment that they never purchased,” said Assistant Attorney General Brian Benczkowski, who leads the Justice Department’s criminal division.
The players claimed to have purchased hyperbaric oxygen chambers, ultrasound machines and electromagnetic therapy devices that were designed to be used on horses, he said.
Prosecutors say the group’s alleged ringleaders, Robert McCune and Correll Buckhalter — who they allege broke off to create his own similar ring — would recruit former players by offering to submit fake claims to the health care plan. The ringleaders would then demand thousands of dollars in kickbacks for each fake claim, prosecutors allege.
The suspects are accused of fabricating letters from health care providers about using the medical equipment, fabricating prescriptions that were purportedly signed by healthcare providers and creating fake invoices from medical equipment companies in an effort to prove the equipment was purchased, according to court documents. In reality, they had never purchased or received the medical equipment, prosecutors said.
Investigators believe the defendants had forged the prescriptions and authorization letters and uncovered no evidence that any doctors were complicit in the scheme, Benczkowski said.
After the phony claims were submitted, the former players would receive reimbursement checks and pay a kickback to the ringleaders and recruiters, the indictments charge.
Prosecutors moved to bring charges, in part because the scheme put the health care plan’s tax-exempt status at risk, which could’ve forced other former players using the plan legitimately to pay more, Benczkowski said.
Four of the suspects, McCune, Rogers, John Eubanks and Ceandris Brown, were arrested Thursday morning by the FBI. Six others had agreed to surrender to authorities, the Justice Department said. They are: James Butler, Fredrick Bennett, Etric Pruitt, Tamarick Vanover, Portis and Buckhalter.
The Justice Department has also filed court papers in Kentucky noting that it plans to file charges against two other players as well, including Joe Horn, a four-time Pro Bowl wide receiver for the New Orleans Saints, and Donald “Reche” Caldwell.
The investigation was continuing, but because the plan involves only former players prosecutors do not expect any current NFL players to face charges, Benczkowski said.
Portis’ lawyer, Mark Dycio, said his client “had no knowledge that his participation in what he believed to be an NFL sanctioned medical reimbursement insurance program was illegal.”
“He is completely taken aback by the indictment and will move forward with the process of clearing his good name and those of his fellow NFL alumni,” Dycio said.

The players allegedly submitted false claims to the Gene Upshaw NFL Player Health Reimbursement Account Plan for reimbursement for medical equipment costing between $40,000 and $50,000. Players who filed the fraudulent claims on behalf of others received “payment of kickbacks and bribes” of up to $10,000 for each false claim.

The Wall Street Journal:
DOJ Charges 10 Ex-NFL Players With Health Care Fraud

The federal government charged 10 former National Football League players on Thursday with participating in a scheme that stole $3.4 million from an NFL health care fund for retired players. The U.S. Department of Justice on Thursday announced charges against Robert McCune and nine other ex-players, including Clinton Portis and Correll Buckhalter, for two conspiracies that were linked to the same scheme to defraud the plan. The agency also said it also intends to charge Joe Horn and one other player. (Radnofsky and Gurman, 12/12)

CNBC:
Clinton Portis, Other NFL Players Charged With Health Claims Fraud

“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,” said assistant Attorney General Brian Benczkowski. (Mangan, 12/12)

The Washington Post:
Clinton Portis, 9 Others Charged In NFL Health Care Fraud Case

The players allegedly submitted false claims to the Gene Upshaw NFL Player Health Reimbursement Account Plan for reimbursement for medical equipment — such as hyperbaric chambers, cryotherapy machines, ultrasound machines used to conduct women’s health exams and electromagnetic therapy devices designed for use on horses — costing between $40,000 and $50,000. According to the indictments, the players fabricated documents, including invoices and prescriptions, to execute the plan. (Kilgore and Maese, 12/12)

CNN:
Clinton Portis Is Among 12 Retired NFL Players Accused Of Health Benefits Scam Worth Over $3 Million

In addition, some defendants recruited other retired players to participate in the scheme in exchange for kickbacks and bribes that ranged from a few thousand dollars to $10,000 or more per claim, prosecutors said. McCune and Buckhalter even called the health benefits plan’s phone line and impersonated other players to check on the status of the claims, the press release states. Health insurance company Cigna flagged anomalies in the types of claims being filed and referred the fraud to federal investigators, Benczkowski said. (Levenson, Kupperman and Martin, 12/12)

ABC News:
10 Former NFL Players Charged By DOJ In Alleged Health Care Fraud Scheme

Robert McCune, 36, John Eubanks, 36, Rogers and Brown were all arrested, according to a department official, while six others named in the indictments surrendered voluntarily. The maximum sentence for the charges range from 10 to 20 years, and DOJ noted that all are presumed innocent until proven guilty. (Mallin, 12/12)

New Orleans Times-Picayune:
Joe Horn, 9 Other Former NFL Players Accused Of Defrauding Health Care Program For League Retirees 

Joe Horn, a former standout wide receiver for the New Orleans Saints, is among several former NFL players who have been implicated in an alleged plot to defraud a health care program designed to help retired pro football players and their families. Horn, 47, faces one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud in a case being pursued by the office of U.S. Attorney Robert Duncan in the Eastern District of Kentucky. His alleged misdeeds are spelled out in a bill of information, which suggests he is cooperating with prosecutors and may already have negotiated a plea deal. (Vargas, 12/12)

This is part of the KHN Morning Briefing, a summary of health policy coverage from major news organizations. Sign up for an email subscription.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Ten former NFL players have been charged with defrauding the league’s health care benefit program, the Justice Department said Thursday.

They include five former players on the Washington Redskins, including Clinton Portis and Carlos Rogers.

See also: Agent Scott Boras will make more money next year than almost every MLB player

Prosecutors allege the players targeted the Gene Upshaw NFL Player Health Reimbursement Account Plan, which was established as part of a collective bargaining agreement in 2006. It provides tax-free reimbursement of out-of-pocket medical care expenses that were not covered by insurance and that were incurred by former players, their spouses and dependents.

The Justice Department alleges the players submitted nearly $4 million in false claims to the plan, resulting in over $3.4 million being paid out between June 2017 and December 2018.

Court papers allege Portis and seven other players submitted claims to be reimbursed for expensive medical equipment. But prosecutors allege they had never purchased or received the medical equipment.

See also: This state makes the most tax revenue from sports betting — and it’s not Nevada

The indictment filed in federal court in Kentucky alleges they fabricated letters from health care providers about using the medical equipment, fabricated prescriptions that were purportedly signed by healthcare providers and created fake invoices from medical equipment companies in an effort to prove the equipment was purchased.

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.

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.

“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.”

“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.

A Lehigh University football player charged with assaulting a fellow student, causing facial fractures, was accepted Wednesday into a first-offender program that will allow him to avoid a criminal record.

Though 22-year-old Thomas Zuewsky was accused of aggravated assault, he was able to convince Northampton County prosecutors that he wasn’t the aggressor in the October confrontation at a backyard party.

“Just an unfortunate situation,” was how Assistant District Attorney Abraham Kassis described it.

Under the terms of Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition, Zuewsky will see his record expunged provided he completes six months of probation and pays court fees and nearly $1,300 in restitution for the other student’s medical bills.

Zuewsky, a senior from Woodbourne, N.Y., who is majoring in business, remains listed on the football team’s roster as an offensive lineman, according to Lehigh’s athletics website.

His defense lawyers say he was cleared by an internal investigation conducted by the university, which found that others at the party “have responsibility for the altercation,” according to a January legal filing.

“Based on the testimony provided, the panel believes it is more likely than not that Thomas did not actually throw a punch,” the Lehigh University Committee for Discipline found, according to Zuewsky’s defense. “Rather we believe that it is more likely that Thomas’ testimony that he stiff armed [the other student] is what happened.”

Police said the assault occurred early Oct. 27 at an address on the 600 block of Pierce Street.

Aryaan Saigal, 19, was injured after stepping between Zuewsky and another man as they seemingly prepared to fight, police said. After being struck, Saigal fell to the ground, unconscious. Doctors determined he had facial fractures, police said.

District Attorney John Morganelli said he initially denied Zuewsky’s application for the first-offender program, given the extent of Saigal’s injury. But he said he reconsidered after Saigal signed off on the resolution, and prosecutors received information suggesting Zuewsky didn’t initiate the confrontation.

Defense attorney Joshua Fulmer said Zuewsky always claimed it was an accident.

“My client said from the beginning that he was just trying to keep people off of him,” Fulmer said Wednesday.

riley.yates@mcall.com

Twitter @riley_yates

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Former Arizona State cornerback Edward “Robbie” Robinson was arrested on the ASU campus Friday after making violent threats against members of the Sun Devils athletics community, according to a report by Phoenix’s 3TV on Saturday.

The campus authorities claim Robinson, 20, made threats around noon on Friday, which set off a campuswide alert.

The cornerback, who hasn’t been enrolled at the university in more than a year, was arrested in connection to the threat around 8 p.m. on Friday and charged with “making terrorist threats, disruption of an educational institution and possession of marijuana,” according to the report.

Robinson’s bond is set at $50,000.

The 5-foot-8, 172-pound corner was a three-star prospect who received playing time early in his true freshman season at the nickel cornerback and boundary corner positions in 2016.

However, he saw a decrease in appearances as the season progressed, while Arizona State finished with the worst pass defense in college football for the second straight season.

Robinson officially left the Sun Devils’ football program last spring, according to multiple reports.

The federal government has dropped criminal charges against Jonathan Augustine, a former AAU basketball director from Florida, who was one of 10 men arrested in September for allegedly conspiring to funnel money from Adidas to recruits’ families.

Augustine, the former president of The League Initiative and director of the 1 Family AAU in Orlando, Florida, was charged with wire fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering after the FBI’s two-year investigation into bribes and other corruption in men’s college basketball.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office asked a federal judge to dismiss charges against Augustine on Friday, and a spokesman for the U.S. District Court of Southern New York confirmed to ESPN on Tuesday that the case against Augustine is closed.