NFLPA Chief Resigns Amid Strip Club Expense Scandal

Union Leader Ousted After Revelations of Lavish Spending

Former NFL Players Association leader Lloyd Howell Jr. has resigned following revelations of questionable union expense reports, including charges for visits to strip clubs. The fallout began when an investigator obtained documents detailing car services and cash withdrawals associated with these establishments.

Questionable Expenses Surface

The controversy erupted this week after documents revealed Howell Jr. charged the union for trips to strip clubs. One expense report detailed a $738.82 car service from Fort Lauderdale International Airport to a Miami Gardens address. The car waited nearly eight hours, ending at Howell Jr.’s luxury condo.

A union finance worker flagged the expensive car service, discovering the Miami Gardens location was Tootsie’s Cabaret, a venue described as the world’s largest strip club. The employee’s concern initiated a review by the union’s travel department and compliance lawyers.

Further expense reports showed Howell Jr. and two employees visited Atlanta’s Magic City strip club during an NFLPA summit on February 21. The outing incurred $2,426 in charges, including ATM cash withdrawals from the club, for what was termed a “Player Engagement Event to support & grow our Union.”

One accompanying employee, instructed by Howell Jr. to file the expense reports, noted a final charge of “$736 = This was the final amount I was charged to close the tab for both secluded sections for our Player Members.” While no player names were on the reports, four cash withdrawals triggered “alerts” for potential reimbursement violations.

Expert Reaction and Policy Concerns

Labor lawyer Bob Stropp, former general counsel of the United Mine Workers of America, called the car service reimbursement “pretty horrible” and “unbelievable.” He stated such an expense could draw the attention of the U.S. Department of Labor.

Former union officials indicated the NFLPA has strict reimbursement guidelines, especially for entertainment. While there are no explicit exclusions for venues like strip clubs within the current “entertainment” policy, one former employee suggested the policy needs revisiting for “optically good scenario[s].”

Previous Allegations and Legal Troubles

This is not the first time Howell Jr.’s expense reports have faced scrutiny. His previous employer, Booz Allen, questioned him about a strip club visit on company time. In 2015, an outing to a Manhattan strip club resulted in thousands of dollars in expenses.

Following that incident, Howell Jr.’s colleague was fired, and Howell Jr. was reprimanded, according to a former Booz Allen executive. At the time, Howell Jr. was a defendant in a sexual discrimination and retaliation lawsuit against Booz Allen, which alleged the company and Howell Jr. denied female employees leadership opportunities. Booz Allen later promoted Howell Jr. to chief financial officer.

Broader Context of Scrutiny

Howell Jr.’s resignation follows a series of reports from ESPN and the podcast “Pablo Torre Finds Out.” These reports included an investigation into a sexual discrimination lawsuit involving Howell Jr. and the FBI’s inquiry into the financial dealings of the union and MLB Players related to OneTeam Partners.

Additionally, reports surfaced that Howell Jr. is a paid consultant for the Carlyle Group, a private equity firm seeking NFL team ownership, and that he entered a confidentiality agreement with the NFL to hide details of an arbitration decision that suggested league executives encouraged owners to reduce guaranteed player compensation.

Despite these issues, some NFLPA executive committee members initially backed Howell Jr.’s leadership. Two members, in a recent interview with ESPN, expressed strong support, stating, “We felt great about the process. We are 100 percent behind Lloyd.” However, the revelations ultimately led to his immediate stepping down.