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NFLPA Distributes “Fraud Alert” Memo To All Contract Advisors

Last night, the NFLPA sent a Fraud Alert memorandum to all of its certified Contract Advisors.  The memorandum, which was no more than a page in length, directed Contract Advisors to the attention of a man named Bill C. Crafton Jr. who also goes by “Billy Crafton.”  The NFLPA, in conjunction with law enforcement, is currently investigating multiple alleged investment fraud claims involving NFL players, and every such complaint has included Crafton (a financial advisor) and Matthew Jennings, who was Chief Executive Officer of a company that was shut down by the Securities and Exchange Commission for being engaged in “a Ponzi like investment fraud scheme.”  The NFLPA asks that if anyone has information relative to the matter, they contact [email protected].

Based on this document on SunTrust Banks Inc.’s website, Crafton began career at at a company called CSI Capital Management, founded Martin Kelly Capital Management in 2006, and then ultimately joined SunTrust in 2010 (UPDATE: Crafton’s employment with SunTrust ended September 2010).  The article, written on January 8, 2010, states that most of Crafton’s client roster are professional baseball players, “including six that played in the 2009 Major League Baseball All-Star game.”  If the NFLPA thought it was worthwhile to send out a “Fraud Alert,” will the MLBPA follow suit?

NFLPA Fraud Alert 4-19-12

By Darren Heitner

Darren Heitner created Sports Agent Blog as a New Year's Resolution on December 31, 2005. Originally titled, "I Want To Be A Sports Agent," the website was founded with the intention of causing Heitner to learn more about the profession that he wanted to join, meet reputable individuals in the space and force himself to stay on top of the latest news and trends.

Heitner now runs Heitner Legal, P.L.L.C., which is a law firm with many practice areas, including sports law and contract law. Heitner has represented numerous athletes and sports agents as legal counsel. He has also served as an Adjunct Professor at Indiana University Bloomington from 2011-2014, where he created and taught a course titled, Sport Agency Management, which included subjects ranging from NCAA regulations to athlete agent certification and the rules governing the profession. Heitner serves as an Adjunct Professor at the University of Florida Levin College of Law, where he teaches a Sports Law class that includes case law surrounding athlete agents and the NCAA rules.

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