Former NFL defensive back Darryl Frank ‘Buster’ Skrine was arrested at Toronto’s Pearson International Airport on Wednesday night on fraud-related charges totalling over $100,000.
Durham Regional Police allege that Skrine visited multiple financial institutions in the area and used fraudulent cheques to open bank accounts, leveraging his status as a former professional athlete to receive a monetary advance prior to the cheque clearing. Investigators with the Financial Crimes Unit say they have reason to believe the 34-year-old committed similar offences across Canada, and are already sharing information with police in Toronto and Regina.
The native of Decatur, Ga. was arrested while attempting to return to the United States. He is currently facing four counts of fraud over $5,000 dollars, seven counts of making false statements to procure money, three counts of possessing property obtained by crime over $5,000, and one count of possessing property obtained by crime under $5,000. None of the charges have been proven in court.
Skrine was a star defender at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga before being selected in the fifth round of the 2011 NFL Draft by the Cleveland Browns. He went on to have an 11-year NFL career with the Browns, New York Jets, Chicago Bears, San Francisco 49ers, and Tennessee Titans, recording 590 total tackles, 88 pass breakups, and 10 interceptions in 158 games.
The five-foot-nine, 187-pound cornerback announced his retirement in July 2022 after having earned more than $40.3 million in the NFL. His reason for being in Canada is unclear.
Investigators are asking anyone with information about the allegations against Skrine to contact Detective Constable Kane of the Financial Crimes Unit at 1-888-579-1520 ext. 5371.
