Former Cleveland Browns player arrested on fraud charges in Canada
Cleveland Browns defensive back Buster Skrine walks off of M&T Bank Stadium field after the team lost to the Baltimore Ravens, 14-6, September 15, 2013 in Baltimore. Skrine was arrested Wednesday in Canada on charges of fraud totaling more than $100,000. (John Kuntz / The Plain Dealer) The Plain Dealer
Former NFL and Cleveland Browns cornerback Buster Skrine was arrested Wednesday in Canada on charges of fraud, authorities said.
Skrine, 34, is accused of using fraudulent checks totaling more than $100,000 at banks across Canada and obtaining a portion of the money before the checks cleared, Durham Regional Police said in a news release.
The NFL vet had planned to travel back to the U.S. on Wednesday, but a number of agencies – including Durham Police fraud investigators, Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and Peel Regional Police – partnered to arrest him at Toronto Pearson International Airport in Ontario, Canada.
Skrine was arrested on fifteen charges in total, including seven counts of making a false statement to procure money; four counts of fraud over $5,000; three counts of possessing property obtained by crime over $5,000; and possessing property obtained by crime under $5,000, according to authorities. He was held for a bail hearing following his arrest.
Skrine played 11 seasons in the NFL between 2011 to 2021. He was drafted by the Browns in the fifth round of the 2011 NFL Draft and spent four seasons in Cleveland from 2011-14, making 37 starts in 64 games played. He tallied 235 tackles, 47 pass deflections, and six interceptions.
Following his time in Cleveland, Skrine also played for the New York Jets (2015-2018), Chicago Bears (2019-2020), San Francisco 49ers (2021) and Tennessee Titans (2021).
