Ex-NFL star Clinton Portis and other former players guilty of health care fraud

Former NFL star Clinton Portis is among the latest group of former pro football players to plead guilty for their roles in a health care fraud scheme, federal prosecutors said Tuesday. 

Portis, Tamarick Vanover and Robert McCune were charged with conspiracy to commit health care fraud in 2019. After lengthy court battles, the men entered their pleas on Friday, the U.S. Department of Justice said. As part of the plea, Portis admitted to his participation in the scheme and has agreed to repay any ill-gotten gains. Portis and Vanover, who are scheduled to be sentenced in January, face up to 10 years in prison; McCune, whose sentencing is scheduled for November, faces up to 20 years, authorities said. Prosecutors said Portis, McCune and Vanover were part of a larger, long-running plot to file phony health insurance claims. McCune allegedly orchestrated the scheme, while Vanover recruited former players and helped them prepare fraudulent paperwork, according to the Justice Department. Retired players submitted a total of $3.9 million in false claims, with $3.4 million of that amount paid out between June 2017 and December 2018, according to prosecutors.