Former NFL WR Alshon Jeffery reportedly reaches conditional agreement to have felony insurance fraud charges dropped
Former NFL wide receiver Alshon Jeffery has reached a conditional deal with prosecutors to have two felony insurance fraud charges against him dismissed, USA Today reports.
Per court documents obtained by USAT, Jeffery reached the deal with San Diego prosecutors Monday.
The charges stem from an alleged incident on Sept. 21 on Interstate 5 in San Diego in which a Mercedes driven by Jeffery rear-ended a Tesla operated by a Lyft driver, according to the report. Per the documents obtained by USAT, Jeffery allegedly did not have insurance at the time of the collision.
What Jeffery was charged with
Per the documents, Jeffery is accused of obtaining a new insurance policy on Sept. 24, then filing a claim stating that the collision took place Sept. 28, seven days after it actually happened.
Per court documents, Jeffery's Mercedes sustained roughly $13,000 worth of damage and the Tesla sustained more than $10,000. According to the report, Infinity Insurance denied Jeffery's claim after receiving evidence from the other driver that the collision took place Sept. 21 when Jeffery allegedly wasn't insured.
According to USAT, Jeffery was charged with "knowingly presenting a false or fraudulent claim" and "conceal, or knowingly fail to disclose the occurrence of, an event that affects any person's initial or continued right or entitlement to any insurance benefit or payment," both felonies. Per USAT, each charge carried up to five years in prison and a fine of $50,000 if Jeffery were convicted.
Per court records cited by USAT, Jeffery failed to appear at an arraignment hearing on March 9, leading to a warrant for his arrest. Per the San Diego County Sheriff's Office, Jeffery was arrested on April 15 in the San Diego suburb of Encinitas.
He showed up to a court date April 23 and pleaded not guilty to both charges. His attorney, Brian Watkins, told USAT that the incident was "just a miscommunication mishap."
A preliminary hearing was set for Monday, and Jeffery reached the conditional deal to have the charges dropped.
Conditions of Jeffery's deal
The conditions, according to USAT:
Jeffery must complete 50 hours of community service
Jeffery must pay $2,500 to the driver of the car he hit to cover the driver's insurance deductible
Jeffery must pay $840.46 to Kemper Insurance
Jeffery must pay $500 to the California Department of Insurance Anti-Fraud Fund
Per the district attorney, via court documents, Jeffery had already made the payments to meet the financial conditions of the deal as of July 10. He has 60 days from Monday to complete the agreed-upon community service requirements.
"If, after 60 days, Alshon Jemell Jeffery has satisfied all the above conditions and has remained law abiding with no new criminal cases, this matter will be dismissed in the interest of justice," the conditions document states, per USAT.
Jeffery, 36, played nine NFL seasons from 2012-20 with the Chicago Bears and Philadelphia Eagles. He made one Pro Bowl with the Bears and won a Super Bowl as a starter for the Eagles after the 2017 season. He caught a touchdown pass from Nick Foles in Philadelphia's 41-33 win over the New England Patriots.
Per Spotrac, Jeffery made more than $63 million in salary over the course of his NFL career.
