Today the Justice Department announced charges for 10 former NFL players, and one of them was a key role player for the Eagles in the early-2000s.
Correll Buckhalter was considered one of the two ringleaders who recruited former players by offering to submit fake claims to the Gene Upshaw NFL Player Health Reimbursement Account Plan. The plan provides "tax-free reimbursement of out-of-pocket medical care expenses that were not covered by insurance and that were incurred by former players." Buckhalter would then receive compensation for helping those players receive the money from the fraudulent claims.
The players that Buckhalter helped recruit "claimed to have purchased hyperbaric oxygen chambers, ultrasound machines and electromagnetic therapy devices that were designed to be used on horses." Those purchases reportedly never happened.
Buchhalter was one of six players surrounded himself to the police, while the four others were arrested. The situation is still unfolding, so it is unclear if the former Eagle will receive prison time, and if so, how much prison time for his actions.
The Eagles selected Buckhalter out of Nebraska in the 4th Round of the 2001 NFL Draft. He had a serviceable career in Philadelphia, but injuries kept him from breaking out into a star. He ended up playing five seasons in an Eagles uniform, rushing for 2,155 yards and 18 touchdowns. He added 930 receiving yards and four receiving touchdowns.
