Multiple former NBA players have been federally charged for an alleged $4 million healthcare scheme.
According to an indictment, the former NBA players have all been charged with defrauding NBA's health and welfare benefit plan. Approximately 16 of the accused were already in custody.
The indictment states that the former players participated in a scheme that would defraud the NBA health and welfare benefit plan - they would submit false and fraudulent claims about getting reimbursed for dental and medical expenses that never took place.
The scheme took place from 2017-2020 - at that point, the plan received false claims that totaled up to $3.9 million. Of that $3.9 million, defendants had received approximately $2.5 million in fraudulent proceeds.
The mastermind of the scheme was Terrence Williams, a former player for the Brooklyn Nets. Williams allegedly recruited other NBA players to participate in this scheme by providing them fake invoices to support fraudulent claims.
The former NBA players included in this scheme were:
- Tony Allen - a member of 2008 champions, Boston Celtics. His wife was also involved in this scheme.
- Melvin Ely - won a title with the San Antonio Spurs in 2007
- Tony Wroten
- Ruben Patterson
- Jamario Moon
- Antoine Wright
- Darius Miles - former LA Clippers player
- Sebastian Telfair - former LA Clippers player
- Glen "Big Baby" Davis - former LA Clippers player
- Shannon Brown - won two titles with the LA Lakers
CBS sent a request for comment to the league which was not returned.