NFL: Former punter pleads not guilty in tax fraud case
Associated Press
LAS VEGAS — A former pro football punter has pleaded not guilty to tax fraud.
Joseph Prokop, 48, of Upland, Calif., is one of the three men charged with conspiracy to defraud the United States in a 21-count indictment.
He is alleged to have interfered with the Internal Revenue Service, aided in preparing false income tax returns and engaged in mail fraud. Co-defendents Alan Rodrigues, a former pit boss and casino owner, and Weston Coolidge, have already pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The men are associated with the National Audit Defense Network, a Las Vegas-based tax advisory company that the government claims caused $324 million in underpayment of income taxes.
Prokop was an NFL punter from 1985 until 1992 and played for six National Football League teams. Prokop, Rodrigues and Coolidge each face up to 150 years in federal prison if convicted of the charges against them:
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Information from: Las Vegas Review-Journal, http://www.lvrj.com
