Six former NFL players have been charged with crimes related to a major healthcare fraud scheme that resulted in pay-outs of over $3.4m.
The superseding indictment follows a December 2019 indictment charging 10 former players allegedly involved in the operation. Seven of those have now pleaded guilty and this new document adds three more names to the list.
They are said to have taken advantage of reimbursements for out-of-pocket medical care expenses not covered under the Gene Upshaw NFL Player Health Reimbursement Account Plan.
Specifically, the players allegedly submitted claims of around $40-50,000 for expensive medical equipment that was never purchased or received. This included hyperbaric oxygen chambers, cryotherapy machines, ultrasound machines and even electromagnetic therapy devices designed for use on horses, according to the Department of Justice (DoJ).
Some of them are said to have forged invoices, prescriptions and medical letters to support these fraudulent claims.
Over $3.9m in false claims were submitted to the plan, which paid out over $3.4m between June 2017 and December 2018.
The former NFL players listed in the new indictment are: Darrell Reid, 38, of Farmingdale New Jersey; Antwan Odom, 38, of Irvington, Alabama; Anthony Montgomery, 36, of Cleveland, Ohio; Clinton Portis, 38, of Fort Mill, South Carolina; Tamarick Vanover, 46, of Tallahassee, Florida and Robert McCune, 41, of Riverdale, Georgia.
They have each been charged with one count of conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud and wire fraud. Reid, Odom, Montgomery and Portis were also each charged with one count of wire fraud and one count of healthcare fraud, while Vanover was also charged with two counts of wire fraud and two counts of healthcare fraud.
McCune was also charged with 10 counts of wire fraud, 12 counts of health care fraud and three counts of aggravated identity theft.
McCune, Vanover and others are alleged to have recruited other players into the scheme in exchange for kickbacks that sometimes topped $10,000.