Keith Gray, a former NFL player and college gridiron phenom, has been found guilty by a federal jury in Dallas of a brazen Medicare fraud scheme that involved an unbelievable $328 million. That sum is unimaginable to most of us. Gray is now facing possible years in prison for his crimes. According to TMZ, he was "convicted this week on nine counts in federal court." The erstwhile UConn captain and Texas native certainly has had a shocking and complete fall from grace.
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What Keith Gray Did
Gray, 39, owns two clinical laboratories. What he apparently did, according to a Department of Justice press release, was "bill Medicare for 'unnecessary genetic tests designed to evaluate the risk of various cardiovascular diseases and conditions.'" Those tests were actually unnecessary.
Nevertheless, Gray apparently billed Medicare for them anyway. The final total was a staggering $328 million. Per the DOJ press release, "Axis and Kingdom [Gray's two labs] billed Medicare approximately $328 million for the false, fraudulent and kickback-tainted genetic testing claims, of which Medicare paid approximately $54 million."
Gray's alleged next step was to launder that money. He did so by reportedly purchasing expensive luxury goods such as a Dodge Ram truck, price tag over $142,000, and a Mercedes-Benz SUV that cost over $154,000.
He Was Convicted of Several Crimes
Per TMZ, Gray was convicted "of conspiracy to defraud the United States and to pay and receive health care kickbacks, five counts of violating the Anti-Kickback Statute and three counts of money laundering." The penalty for Gray's misdeeds could be very stiff, perhaps as much as ten years on each count. He will be sentenced on a future date.
Gray's Football Career
Per People, Gray went to high school in Worcester, Massachusetts. He played for the UConn Huskies from 2004 to 2008, per the New York Post. According to TMZ, in 2009, he was with the Carolina Panthers for a short stint "as an undrafted free agent." He then joined the practice squad of the Indianapolis Colts.
He Talked About How He Planned for His Future on a 2021 Podcast
Gray recalled on this podcast that he knew during his UConn days that he needed to plan for his post-football future. He said he opted for a degree in math and actuarial science rather than studying communications. Gray said that the person in charge of the school's actuarial program urged him to take that career path. It's lucrative, he was told, and actuaries have a low unemployment rate.
As we now know, Keith Gray's future will look very different indeed.
