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Reggie Rucker pleads guilty to wire fraud

Posted at 5:17 PM, Feb 24, 2016
and last updated 2016-02-25 07:05:42-05

Former Browns player Reggie Rucker pled guilty in front of a federal judge Wednesday to wire fraud and making false statements to investigators.

He will likely faces two years in prison and must pay back all of the money he stole, which is as much as $150,000.

Rucker headed up a local non-profit organization called Amer-I-cans as well as the Cleveland Peacemakers Alliance, an organization that was supposed to help curb violence among teens and young adults.

For the past four years, Rucker swindled charitable donations from those organizations to help pay for his gambling debts, mortgage payments, meals and entertainment.

His attorney, Michael Hennenberg, said Rucker's wrongdoing stems from his gambling problem. He said he is in treatment for it.

Rucker will be sentenced on May 23. In the meantime, he remains free. In court, he admitted to taking medication for a mental health and/or psychiatric condition.