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Former NFL player Buster Skrine has been arrested for his involvement in an elaborate financial fraud case in Canada. The operation, which netted him more than $100,000, targeted banks across the country and took advantage of Skrine’s past in the NFL. The defensive back had played for teams in the NFL such as the Cleveland Browns, the Jets, and the 49ers. Fans were surprised that Skrine would resort to committing crime to earn hundreds of thousands of dollars despite earning millions of dollars during his time in the NFL. As of now the police haven’t revealed the extent of fraud committed but there is reason to believe it has been done across Canada.
Skrine is accused of abusing his status as an ex-NFL player in order to open bank accounts with fraudulent cheques. He would then rapidly withdraw funds before the bank realized the cheques were fraudulent. This scheme was committed against numerous banks in Canada’s Durham region. The Durham Regional Police Service stated that Skrine had made a spree of visits to financial institutions across the region, and possibly across Canada, to commit the frauds in recent times.
Skrine earned $40 million during his time in the NFL with teams such as the 49ers, the Titans and the Browns. It is not known exactly why Skrine committed the crimes and if his financial situation is precarious or not.
Buster Skrine arrested at air port after flee attempt
After the Durham Police finished their thorough investigation, Skrine was arrested at the Pearson International Airport on Wednesday after attempting to flee. The Police were made aware of Skrine’s intention to depart Canada and flee to the United States, which led them to stop the former player.
The 34-year-old faces 14 counts of fraud and property acquired through fraudulent means. These are all serious charges which could potentially see the ex-player face years of time in jail.
Skrine was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in 2011. He had a solid career in the NFL, recording 10 interceptions in 158 games.
