Former NFL Linebacker Indicted for Insurance Fraud

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United States of America v. Marcus Buckley and Kimberly Jones, United States District Court Eastern District of California, April 10, 2013
Marcus Buckley, a former linebacker for the New York Giants and Atlanta Falcons, was charged his involvement in a $1.5 million insurance fraud scheme. He is alleged to have filed fraudulent claims with the New York Giants’ workers’ compensation program. The adjuster on Buckley’s claims, Kimberly Jones, was also charged with fraud.

During the time period Buckley played for the Giants, the Giants had workers’ compensation insurance coverage through Pennsylvania Manufacturer’s Association Insurance Group (PMA) which was managed by Gallagher Basset Services, Inc.  Kimberly Jones worked as Gallagher’s senior claims adjuster on Buckley’s claims.

In 2010, PMA agreed to pay $300,000 to settle Buckley’s workers’ compensation claim against the Giants for stress injuries sustained while playing. Subsequently, between 2010 and 2011, Buckley and Jones allegedly schemed to defraud PMA by submitting false and fictitious invoices for medical services and false credit card bills for medical treatment Buckley never received. While working for Gallagher, Jones raised the reserve limit for payments to Buckley and requested checks for Buckley even before he submitted false medical bills and credit card statements. It is alleged that Buckley received over $1,588,000 in funds to which he was not entitled, which he used for various personal expenses.

Buckley and Jones were both indicted for wire fraud and money laundering.