Former NFL RB Clinton Portis Pled Guilty to Fraud Charge; May Face 10 Years in Prison

Former NFL running back Clinton Portis faces up to 10 years in prison after pleading guilty to a conspiracy to commit health fraud last week.

Portis was accused of scheming with other former players to defraud the Gene Upshaw NFL Player Plan, which reimburses retired players for medical expenses. Portis and other players were alleged to have made up claims and were then reimbursed by the plan.

The initial fraud charge against Portis resulted in a hung jury last week. Portis then went into negotiations for a plea deal, which will reduce his maximum sentence. He was facing up to 20 years in prison.

As part of the plea, Portis will pay back $99,264 that was defrauded from the program. He will also face a fine of up to $250,000. 

Portis played for the Denver Broncos and Washington Football Team over the course of a nine-year NFL career. He filed for bankruptcy in 2015 despite making more than $43 million in game salary during his career.