Former NFL star Clinton Portis faces up to 10 years in jail after admitting healthcare fraud

Retired running back was one of 10 players arrested over alleged scheme in 2019

Clinton Portis #26 of the Washington Redskins runs the ball during the game against the Houston Texans at FedExField on September 19, 2010 in Landover, Maryland. (Getty Images)

Former NFL star Clinton Portis faces up to 10 years in prison after admitting his part in healthcare fraud.

The retired running back pleaded guilty to the crime as part of an agreement with prosecutors and faces a lengthy prison sentence and a fine of no more than $250,000.

Portis, 40, admitted that he had defrauded the Gene Upshaw NFL Players Health Reimbursement Account Plan by making false claims for benefits. He has agreed to pay the plan $99,264 in restitution.

Court papers filed in a Kentucky federal court state that Portis submitted a claim seeking $44,732 reimbursement for an oxygen chamber and $54,532 for a cryosauna.

He has now admitted that he was “aware of a high probability that these claims sought reimbursement for items that were not medically necessary and ... deliberately ignored that fact.”

Portis, who played at the University of Miami before he was drafted by the Denver Broncos in 2002, was traded to Washington in 2004 where he played through 2010, before officially retiring in 2012.

Last week, a jury was unable to reach a verdict during a trial on the charges and Portis had been set to be re-tried on the matter until he reached the plea agreement. He will be sentenced in January.

Portis was one of ten former NFL players arrested in December 2019 in what prosecutors allege was a “brazen” $4m scheme to be reimbursed for medical equipment that was never purchased.

Last month, a Florida court issued an arrest warrant for Portis over allegedly unpaid child support.

Portis had been ordered to appear in court on 6 August, but when he failed to appear, a judge ordered a civil arrest order.

The two-time pro bowler, who rushed for 9,923 yards and 75 touchdowns, made more than $43m in his career, but filed for bankruptcy in 2015.

Court record in the case show that he had failed to pay a single court-ordered monthly child support of $1,937 for the youngster, who was born in March 2015.