Former Bengals quarterback sentenced to prison for role in health care fraud
CINCINNATI (WKRC) - Former Bengals backup quarterback Shane Matthews has been sentenced to three months in prison for his minor role in a healthcare fraud conspiracy.
According to the Jacksonville Times-Union, the fraud was orchestrated by Monty Grow, who was a former teammate of Matthews at the University of Florida.
Matthews was with the Bengals in the 2003 season, but did not appear in any games.
He also spent time in the NFL with the Chicago Bears (twice), Carolina Panthers, Washington Redskins, Buffalo Bills and Miami Dolphins.
According to the indictment, a federal jury unanimously convicted Grow of healthcare fraud conspiracy for bilking $20 million from the TRICARE program for military members, veterans and their families, while Matthew was paid $440,000 for lining up sales representatives who secured TRICARE.
Matthew will report to a federal facility as close to Gainesville, Fla. as possible and must surrender on or before noon on June 1.
He is currently a sports talk radio personality and assistant high school football coach at Gainesville High School.
