Ex-Philadelphia Eagles RB Wendell Smallwood Jr. charged with COVID-19, tax fraud
Wendell Smallwood Jr., a former NFL running back who won a Super Bowl with the Philadelphia Eagles, has been charged with defrauding federal COVID-19 relief programs, court documents show.
Smallwood was charged with three felonies — wire fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and conspiracy to defraud the Internal Revenue Service — and faces up to 50 years in prison.
According to court documents filed in the District of Delaware, federal prosecutors allege Smallwood defrauded government agencies by submitting false information to get tens of thousands of dollars in payments to businesses he ran.
Federal prosecutors also accuse Smallwood of being involved in a kickback conspiracy to defraud COVID-19 relief programs and lying to tax authorities.
According to court documents, Smallwood applied for COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) using "defunct or recently registered businesses and claimed false business operations" in applications to the Small Business Administration.
Court documents also allege Smallwood submitted false information to the Paycheck Protection Program and was involved in a tax fraud conspiracy.
The Eagles selected Smallwood in the fifth round of the 2016 NFL draft out of West Virginia University. He spent three seasons with Philadelphia and was on its roster but didn't play in the team's 41-33 win over the New England Patriots in Super Bowl 52.
A native of Wilmington, Delaware, Smallwood also played with Washington and the Pittsburgh Steelers. He also spent time in the Jacksonville organization in 2021; he was signed to the team's practice squad but never played for the Jaguars.
The full criminal complaint can be read below.