Ex-NFL Player Found Guilty by Texas Jury in $6 Million Landscaping Fraud Case
Apr 22, 2025, 04:10h.
Last Updated: Apr 22, 2025, 04:10h.
Written by: Phil Conneller @casinoorgphilc for Gaming Business, Regulation, and Tribal Gaming.
Anthony Freaking Hutchison's Crooked Scheme Brings Down HISD* Overcharging and Under-the-Table Deals* Ex-NFL Star's Landscaping Empire Built on Corruption
The court in Houston, Texas has slapped the handcuffs on the ex-Chicago Bears and Buffalo Bills running back, Anthony Hutchison, 64, for his role in a swindling and bribery scandal that cost the Houston Independent School District (HISD) a staggering $6 million. This dirtbag retired from Pro football roughly four decades ago.
Hutchison, along with the former HISD COO Brian Busby, hatched a devious plot to siphon off HISD coffers by inflating the prices for landscaping services - think lawnmowing and mulch - and even handing out kickbacks. Between 2013 and 2019, these goons grossly overcharged the district for their work.
The jury concurred with the prosecution that Hutchison dished out bribes to the corrupt officials in exchange for awarding HISD contracts to the shadowy landscaping company, Southwest Wholesale. Busby, the accomplice, picked up a cool $530K in bribes.
Corruption Paying the Bills
Prosecutors are adamant that Hutchison channeled the ill-gotten profits to pay off a mountain of gambling debts. To top things off, Hutchison overcharged HISD more than twice for their supplies and even jacked up prices another 20%, according to the indictment.
Hutchison copped charges for conspiring, wire fraud, bribery, lying on tax returns, and witness tampering. Busby, the traitor, was found guilty of conspiracy, bribery, tax evasion, and more, including witness tampering.
Southwest Wholesale first secured a landscaping contract for a couple dozen HISD campuses. Over time, the scam expanded and, eventually, the company became HISD's sole landscaping contractor, managing several hundred properties.
Testimony Galore
The 19-day trial brought forth testimony from a slew of witnesses, including HISD officials, ex-employees of Hutchison's shady companies, FBI agents, IRS investigators, and grass gurus.
You heard it right, grass gurus. This wanker would supposedly mow school lawns every four days, which experts testified is excessive.
The courtroom also heard evidence from poker prodigy Ayaz Mahmood, a World Series of Poker bracelet holder. Mahmood played pot-limit Omaha against the defendant, claiming Hutchison was a hapless player who consistently lost around 99% of the time. Mahmood once watched Hutchison drop a figure nearing $300,000 in a single day.
The witness tampering convictions stem from Hutchison and Busby's attempts to convince a former manager from HISD's Facilities, Maintenance, and Operations Department to lie to the FBI.
The duo is set to receive high-security digs once sentenced.
- In the Houston court, Anthony Hutchison, the former NFL star, was convicted for his involvement in a bribery and fraud scheme that cost the Houston Independent School District (HISD) $6 million.
- Southwest Wholesale, a landscaping company, was a key player in the scandal, securing contracts through bribes orchestrated by Hutchison and HISD's former COO, Brian Busby.
- Busby was also convicted, and it was revealed that he received $530K in bribes from Southwest Wholesale.
- The indictment stated that Hutchison overcharged HISD for services, inflating prices by more than 20%, and used the ill-gotten profits to pay off gambling debts.
- Hutchison was found guilty of conspiracy, wire fraud, bribery, lying on tax returns, and witness tampering, while Busby was convicted of conspiracy, bribery, tax evasion, and witness tampering.
- The trial featured testimonies from various witnesses, including HISD officials, FBI agents, IRS investigators, ex-employees of Hutchison's companies, and grass gurus who testified about the excessive lawn-mowing schedule on HISD campuses.
- Poker prodigy Ayaz Mahmood, a World Series of Poker bracelet holder, testified that Hutchison was a consistent loser at pot-limit Omaha poker, even losing around $300,000 in a single day.
- The convicted duo faces high-security imprisonment after sentencing.