Ex-NFL LB Robert McCune sentenced to 5 years in health care fraud scheme

Former NFL linebacker Robert McCune was sentenced to five years in prison on Wednesday for his role in a nationwide fraud scheme involving health care benefits.

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According to a news release from the U.S. Department of Justice, McCune, 42, of Riverdale, Georgia, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud, 10 counts of wire fraud, 12 counts of health care fraud and three counts of aggravated identity theft.

According to court documents, McCune defrauded the Gene Upshaw NFL Player Health Reimbursement Account Plan, submitting false and fraudulent claims to the plan on his behalf and for dozens of other NFL players.

“It was just a tough time for me physically and mentally and I’m truly, truly sorry for what I’ve done,” McCune, a former college star at Louisville, said to U.S. District Judge Karen Caldwell, according to the Lexington Herald-Leader.

Federal prosecutors described McCune, a native of Mobile, Alabama, who played in the NFL from 2005 to 2007, as a “ringleader” who would take kickbacks from the former players, WKRG-TV reported.

Between June 5, 2017, and April 12, 2018, McCune submitted 68 claims for 51 other players, prosecutors said. The claims typically sought reimbursement of $40,000 or more for medical equipment such as hyperbaric oxygen chambers, ultrasound machines and electromagnetic therapy devices. That equipment was never bought, prosecutors said.

According to the news release, McCune and his co-conspirators submitted approximately $2.9 million in fraudulent claims to the plan.

McCune played for Washington in 2005 and with the Baltimore Ravens in 2006-07.

Thirteen other defendants have been sentenced for their participation in the scheme:

• John Eubanks, 38, of Cleveland, Mississippi, was sentenced to 18 months in prison. Eubanks, a former defensive back, played for Washington in 2006-07;
• Tamarick Vanover, 47, of Tallahassee, Florida, and Ceandris Brown, 39, of Iowa Colony, Texas, were each sentenced to a year and a day in prison. Vanover, a former Florida State University star, played six seasons in the NFL as a wide receiver, mostly with the Kansas City Chiefs;
• Correll Buckhalter, 43, of Colleyville, Texas, was sentenced to 10 months in prison, followed by 300 days’ home detention, Buckhalter was a running back in the NFL from 2001 through 2010, playing for the Philadelphia Eagles and Denver Broncos;
• Clinton Portis, 40, of Fort Mill, South Carolina, was sentenced to six months in prison, followed by 180 days’ home detention. Portis played in the NFL for Denver (2002-03) and Washington (2004-2010);
• Etric Pruitt, 40, of Theodore, Alabama, was sentenced to three months in prison, followed by 180 days’ home detention. Pruitt was a defensive back with the Atlanta Falcons (2004) and Seattle Seahawks (2005);
• James Butler, 39, of Atlanta, Georgia, was sentenced to two months in prison, followed by 180 days’ home detention. Butler played defensive back for seven seasons with the New York Giants (2005-09) and St. Louis Rams (2010-11);
• Carlos Rogers, 40, of Alpharetta, Georgia, was sentenced to 180 days’ home detention and 400 hours of community service, Rogers was a defensive back for 12 seasons in Washington (2005-10), San Francisco (2011-13) and Oakland (2014);
• Anthony Montgomery, 37, of Cleveland, Ohio, a defensive lineman with Washington from 2005 to 2009; Antwan Odom, 40, of Irvington, Alabama, a defensive end for the Tennessee Titans (2004-07) and Cincinnati Bengals (2008-10); Darrell Reid, 39, of Farmingdale, New Jersey, a former defensive end with Indianapolis (2005-08) and Denver (2009); and Fredrick Bennett, 38, of Port Wentworth, Georgia, a former defensive lineman with Houston, San Diego and Cincinnati, were each sentenced to 180 days’ home detention and 240 hours of community service; and
• Joe Horn, 50, of Columbia, South Carolina, was sentenced to 200 hours of community service. Horn played wide receiver for Kansas City (1996-99), New Orleans (2000-06) and Atlanta (2007).

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