Scandal in the NFLPA: Ex-leader Howell, nightclub expenses under investigation

Lloyd Howell Jr. Resigns After Questions About Nightclub Expenses

Former NFL Players Association (NFLPA) leader Lloyd Howell Jr. resigned after being investigated for expenses at nightclubs. Documents obtained by an external investigator revealed that Howell charged the union for two visits to strip clubs, including a transportation service that cost $738.82. These documents, which are expense reports and receipts approved by the union, generated questions from some members, hours before Howell resigned on Thursday night.

One of the receipts shows that Howell was picked up at Fort Lauderdale International Airport on November 2, 2023, and taken to a club in Miami Gardens, and then to his luxury condominium in Sunny Isles Beach, at a considerable cost.

A union finance employee discovered the high cost of the transportation service, upon investigating the address in Miami Gardens, discovering that it was Tootsie’s Cabaret, a strip club. The employee notified the union’s travel department, which in turn forwarded the documents to compliance for review by the union’s lawyers. Additionally, expense reports obtained revealed that Howell and two other union employees visited a strip club in Atlanta during the NFLPA summit on February 21. In this output, which was justified as a “Player Participation Event to support and grow our Union”, charges of $2,426 were incurred, including cash withdrawals from club ATMs. An employee submitted the expense reports for this outing, and Howell instructed him to do so. The documents show that four cash withdrawals were flagged with “alerts”, apparently referring to possible reimbursement violations.

“$736 = This was the final amount I was charged to close the tab for both isolated sections for our Player Members. This included food, alcoholic beverages, fees, taxes, and tips”.

Union Employee

Federal labor law is strict regarding union expenses and reimbursements; the laws seek to protect union members whose funds finance all operations. Ronald C. Machen, a lawyer hired to investigate Howell’s activities, commented that his work continues. Bob Stropp, a labor lawyer, noted that the reimbursement of the transportation service is the type of situation that could attract the attention of the U.S. Department of Labor. Howell was elected union president in 2024 and last year received a payment of $3.6 million. He resided in Miami since 2019, where he acquired a condominium for $6.8 million. In his resignation statement, Howell, 59, stated that his leadership had become a distraction for the NFLPA’s work, and that he hoped this would allow the union to maintain its focus on its player members. Howell’s resignation surprised some members of the NFLPA’s executive committee, who tried to persuade him not to leave the union during a phone call. The resignation came after several recent reports. One of them, about the lawsuit for sexual discrimination and retaliation involving Howell, and whether the players who voted for him to lead the NFLPA were aware of it. Another ESPN report revealed that the FBI is investigating the financial affairs of the union and the MLB Players Association related to a multi-million dollar group licensing company, OneTeam Partners. In addition, it was reported that Howell is working as a part-time consultant for the Carlyle Group, one of the private equity firms approved by the league seeking ownership of NFL teams. Finally, it was reported that Howell reached a confidentiality agreement with the NFL six months ago that concealed the details of a January arbitration decision from the players, including a finding that league executives urged team owners to reduce guaranteed compensation to players.