Outwit, Outplay, Outlast Workers’ Comp Fraud and You Could Be the Next ‘Survivor’

It’s amazing how many people think they can get away with workers’ compensation fraud, but as many Strange But True issues have shown us—here, here, here, and then some—people tend to think they can get away with anything! It’s especially mind-blowing when a former NFL star is busted for workers’ comp fraud for appearing on the show Survivor.

Brad Culpepper played as a starting defensive tackle for such teams as the Minnesota Vikings, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and the Chicago Bears. His nine-season career game ended in a “severe” disability. This according to a workers’ comp lawsuit that was filed in California and was part of a much bigger lawsuit against the NFL.

In 2010, the state of California allowed any player who had ever played a game—in the state—to file a workers’ compensation claim against the NFL. “The NFL players association put out word to NFL players to file claims, and thousands upon thousands did exactly that,” says an attorney for the NFL’s insurance company. One of the thousands of players to file a claim was Culpepper.

Culpepper claimed that he told doctors pain interfered with his daily activities, concentration, and thinking “a lot or most of the time.” According to his lawyer, “There were injuries that were confirmed by no less than 14 or 15 MRIs, various X-rays, and legions of doctors.” Culpepper was declared 89 percent disabled and was awarded $175,000.

Then Culpepper did the unthinkable, especially for an 89-percent disabled man—he obtained a black belt in mixed martial arts. According to the lawsuit filed against Culpepper, videos had surfaced of him and his wife performing mixed martial arts.

Then, in 2013, Culpepper appeared on the CBS show Survivor. “He said he can’t do recreational activities. He’s limited in what he can do, he has pains every day of the year. And now he’s living on a desert island and he’s swimming and killing fish with his hands and eating bamboo, so that’s going to upset the insurer,” said an attorney for the NFL.

Since Culpepper filed the initial claim, California has changed its law, allowing only football players who have played for only California teams to file claims of workers’ comp.