Former University of Mississippi football standout Rufus French was sentenced to over 16 years in federal prison after his conviction in a massive healthcare fraud scheme that targeted elderly Americans and disabled veterans, reported Fox News.

The United States Department of Justice announced that French, 47, played a major role in a $197 million fraud operation involving unnecessary orthopedic braces and fake doctors’ orders. Federal prosecutors said the scheme lasted for years and relied on lies, bribery, and stolen patient information.

French was convicted in February on several federal charges. Those charges included conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud and wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and conspiracy to offer and receive illegal kickbacks. Along with the prison sentence, the court ordered him to pay more than $110 million in restitution. Authorities also seized nearly $17 million from his bank accounts and other assets.

Who is Rufus French?

Rufus French lives in Amory, Mississippi. He once stood among the top football players in college football. He played tight end for Ole Miss from 1996 to 1998 and earned First-team All-SEC honors twice. In 1998, he became a unanimous All-American after a strong season with the Rebels, reported Clarion Ledger.

He later signed with the Seattle Seahawks and the Green Bay Packers after going undrafted in the 1999 NFL Draft. He spent time with both NFL franchises but never built a long professional career.

French’s son, Charleston French, currently plays football for Bill Belichick at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

How did the fraud scheme operate?

According to federal prosecutors, French worked with overseas telemarketing companies that contacted elderly Americans and veterans. Investigators said the callers pressured people into sharing personal health information and agreeing to receive orthopedic braces they did not need, reported Clarion Ledger.

Authorities said many patients never requested the medical devices. In some cases, telemarketers edited phone recordings to make it appear that patients approved the braces when they actually did not.

The Justice Department said French then bought fraudulent doctors’ orders from companies that approved the braces without proper medical evaluations. Prosecutors said some doctors never even spoke with the patients before signing the paperwork.

The braces were later billed to federal healthcare programs, including the Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs, also known as CHAMPVA. Investigators said the operation caused huge financial losses to taxpayer-funded healthcare systems.

Federal officials described the scheme as a deliberate attempt to exploit vulnerable people for profit. Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald said the operation preyed on senior citizens and disabled veterans across the country.

“Fueled by lies, bribes, and overseas telemarketers, this corrupt scheme preyed on senior citizens and disabled veterans to flood the country with unnecessary medical devices – and then billed the taxpayer for it,” McDonald said in a Justice Department release.

He added that the prison sentence sends a message that people who target elderly and vulnerable Americans for financial gain will face serious punishment.

Money laundering operation

Federal investigators also uncovered a money laundering operation tied to the fraud scheme. Prosecutors said French moved large amounts of money to pay people involved in collecting patient information and arranging fake prescriptions.

The Justice Department said French laundered about $225,000 in cash through a bank in Mississippi. More than $10,000 of that money was reportedly packed into a bag and driven to Orlando, Florida, to pay accomplices connected to the scheme.

Authorities said the payments helped the French obtain beneficiaries’ personal details and insurance information. Prosecutors argued that those illegal payments helped keep the fraud operation active for years.

Court records showed that the fraud generated massive profits while patients received medical braces they never requested or did not medically need. Federal officials said the scheme wasted taxpayer money and damaged trust in healthcare programs created for veterans and elderly Americans.

French’s downfall marked a turn from his football career at Ole Miss, where he played in 32 games over three seasons. He recorded 43 catches for 345 yards and two touchdowns in 1997. In his final season in 1998, he caught 35 passes for 386 yards and two more touchdowns.