September 30, 2020
Former Miami Dolphins involved in healthcare fraud scheme
According to the National Health Care Anti-Fraud Association (NHCAA), the United States loses approximately $68 billion every year due to healthcare fraud. One of the most common forms of healthcare fraud involves billing for services or procedures that were not actually performed.
Former NFL players and athletic trainer facing felony charges
Eight former NFL players and an athletic trainer in Houston reportedly are facing felony charges after submitting false claims for treatments performed by Louis Ray, a trainer and owner of Rehab Express. From March 2016 to November 2018, Ray apparently created fake invoices stating he provided rehabilitation services to eight former NFL players, including Jonathan Rex Hadnot Jr. and Derrick Pope, who were drafted by the Miami Dolphins.
The NFL players reportedly signed off on the invoices and sought reimbursement from the Gene Upshaw NFL Player Plan. The players would allegedly use the reimbursement money to pay Ray for his verification of the invoices and pocket the remaining funds.
All parties involved are facing felony charges of varying degrees for Securing the Execution of a Document by Deception. Ray is facing first-degree felony charges for allegedly taking more than $300,000 in checks. Corey Bradford of the Houston Texans is facing second-degree felony charges for allegedly taking more than $150,000 and less than $300,000 in checks. Shantee Orr, Hadnot Jr., Clint Ingram, Chadwick Slaughter, James Adkisson, and Fabian Washington reportedly were all charged with third-degree felonies for taking more than $30,000 and less than $150,000 in checks. Pope was charged with a state-jail felony for taking more than $2,500 and less than $30,000 in checks.
Defending against healthcare fraud charges
If you have been accused of attempting to defraud a healthcare benefit program, you could face serious consequences, including monetary fines and jail time. However, a skilled attorney specializing in healthcare fraud can come up with a way to defend against these charges or negotiate a plea deal to lessen your sentence.
