Even after playing years, some former NFL players still found their way to the headlines, albeit for a bad reason. This brings us to six former players who were charged in a superseding indictment in connection with fraudulent charges made to a health care benefit program for retired NFL players.

Two-time Pro Bowler Clinton Portis, who also ranked 25th in all-time rushing touchdowns, headlines a group of former NFL players together with Indianapolis Colt Darrell Reid, Tennessee Titan Antwan Odom, Kansas City Chief Tamarick Vanover, Baltimore Raven Robert McCune, and Washington defensive tackle Anthony Montgomery.

According to the Pro Football Talk featured in NBC Sports:

The frauds committed were connected to the Gene Upshaw NFL Player Health Reimbursement Plan. The plan is supposed to help NFL players and their families by giving them tax-free reimbursement for health care costs in retirement. However, federal prosecutors say that the accused players submitted false and fraudulent claims totaling to more than $3 million.

The prosecutors state that the players defrauded the program by falsely claiming they had purchased expensive medical equipment. These include hyperbaric oxygen chambers, cryotherapy machines, and ultrasound machines and then requesting reimbursement. These would typically amount from $40,000 to $50,000. The players allegedly fabricated documents including invoices and letters of medical necessity.

The current group of NFL players who are being charged are not the first ones to do the scheme. Seven former NFL players have already pleaded guilty to charges back then which include Correll Buckhalter, James Butler, Joseph Horn, Etric Pruitt, Ceandris Brown, John Eubanks, and Reche Caldwell.