Former WFT Great Clinton Portis Guilty of Defrauding Retired NFL Players

Clinton Portis is one of three former NFL players pleading guilty for their roles in a nationwide scheme to defraud a health care benefit program for retired NFL players, according to the United States Department of Justice.

Portis, 40, faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and is scheduled to be sentenced Jan. 6. Drafted by the Denver Broncos in 2002, Portis is best known for his career with the Washington Football Team and was voted one of the franchise’s 80 greatest players.

Portis schemed to defraud the Gene Upshaw NFL Player Health Reimbursement Account Plan, which was set up in 2006 to help retired players cover medical expenses. According to court documents, Portis submitted false and fraudulent claims over a two-month period to obtain $99,264 in medical equipment that was not provided.

Portis has agreed to pay full restitution to the Upshaw Plan.

Portis played for the Washington 2004-10, rushing for more than 1,000 yards in four seasons. He was selected to two Pro Bowls, and ran for 9,923 yards and 75 touchdowns over a nine-year career.

He currently lives in McLean, Virginia, and has worked in several roles for Washington’s broadcast and media team. He was released in 2011 and retired the following year.

Former Washington linebacker Robert McCune and former NFL wide receiver Tamarick Vanover also pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit health care fraud.

According to the DOJ, Vanover recruited three other former NFL players into the fraudulent scheme, obtaining $159,510 for expensive medical equipment that was not provided. McCune orchestrated the nationwide fraud, which resulted in approximately $2.9 million in false and fraudulent claims being submitted and payment being made on approximately $2.5 million on those claims.