Antonio Brown, wide receiver for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, obtained a fake Johnson & Johnson vaccination card, a former alleges.
Steven Ruiz, a former live-in chef for Brown, alleged the wide receiver got the fake card from an unnamed source after Ruiz was unable to obtain the forged documents for Brown himself. Brown’s attorney has denied the allegations.
Brown’s girlfriend, Cydney Moreau, allegedly reached out to Ruiz in July and asked him for a fake Johnson & Johnson vaccination card for Brown in exchange for $500, according to text messages obtained by the Tampa Bay Times.
Ruiz agreed to look for fake cards but was unable to find a provider. However, a few weeks later, Brown allegedly showed Ruiz the fake vaccination cards at his house which he claimed to have purchased for himself and Moreau, the Times reported.
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Alex Guerrero, a personal trainer with the Buccaneers, was also allegedly at Brown’s house that same night and took photographs of the fake vaccine card to send to the head trainer Bobby Slater. According to Ruiz, the Buccaneers would have someone on the staff take photographs of the cards to send to Slater or the infection control officer to streamline the documentation of vaccinated players.
Ruiz claimed he does not believe Guerrero knew the card was fake.
Ruiz’s allegations come after the chef and the wide receiver had a falling out over alleged unpaid wages. Ruiz claims Brown owes him $10,000 in pay while Brown claims the money was already paid. Ruiz failed to get a settlement from the Buccaneers or Brown’s lawyer.
Brown’s attorney, Sean Burstyn, told the Times that the allegations are not true and that Brown is vaccinated.
“Antonio Brown appreciates the severity of the pandemic, which is why he got the vaccine and supports everyone for whom it is advisable to get the vaccine,” Burstyn said in a text. “Coronavirus has hit close to home as it took him out of a game. He is healthy, vaccinated, and ready to win another Super Bowl. One of the worst parts of the pandemic has been a movement to cast doubt on our country’s vaccination programs with baseless, vindictive tabloid gossip.”
Brown tested positive for the virus earlier this season, though the infection occurred after he allegedly received the fake vaccine card.
The Buccaneers released a statement Thursday night explaining that they had followed all of the NFL’s protocols and confirmed they received vaccination cards from all players.
“After an extensive educational process conducted throughout our organization this past offseason highlighting the benefits of the COVID-19 vaccines,” the statement said, “we received completed vaccination cards from all Tampa Bay Buccaneers players and submitted the required information to the NFL through the established process in accordance with league policy. All vaccination cards were reviewed by Buccaneers personnel and no irregularities were observed.”
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NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy told the Times that the league was aware of the allegations and is communicating with the team. “We will review the matter,” he added.
According to NFL rules, any attempt to use a fake vaccination card would be reviewed under the league’s personal conduct policy, and the individual could face discipline.
Purchasing a fake vaccine card is also a federal felony with possible fines and a sentence of up to five years in prison.
