18 negro NBA Veterans Arrested in $4 Million Health Insurance Fraud Scheme

voiceofreason

Senior News Editor since 2011

18 NBA Veterans Arrested in Alleged $4 Million Health Insurance Fraud Scheme​


The defendants allegedly engaged in a widespread scheme to defraud the NBA Players' Health and Welfare Benefit Plan by submitting fake reimbursement claims for medical and dental services they never had​


10/7/2021

What to Know​

  • 18 former NBA players have been indicted in Manhattan federal court in a sweeping alleged health insurance scheme to defraud the league's benefit plan of nearly $4 million
  • Federal prosecutors allege ex-NBA player Terrence Williams "orchestrated" the scheme and recruited other players in the health plan by offering fake invoices; he allegedly got $230K in kickbacks
  • All of the indicted individuals face charges of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud as well as aggravated identity theft
More than a dozen former NBA players have been charged in New York federal court in an alleged multi-million-dollar health insurance fraud scheme to rip off the league's benefit plan, according to an indictment unsealed in the Southern District on Thursday.

The 18 former players named in the indictment include alleged scheme ringleader Terrence Williams, selected 11th overall in the 2009 NBA draft by the then-New Jersey Nets, six-time NBA All-Defensive Team member Tony Allen, former Lakers Guard Shannon Brown and Ronald Glen Davis, who played for the Boston Celtics, Orlando Magic and Los Angeles Clippers over the course of his career.

Allen's wife, Desiree Allen, is the only woman charged in the indictment.
 



Former Sixers Guard Tony Wroten Among 18 Ex-NBA Players Charged In $4 Million Health Care Fraud Scheme​



October 7, 2021 at 11:47 am



NEW YORK (CBS/AP) — A former Philadelphia 76er is among 18 former NBA players charged with defrauding the league’s health and welfare benefit plan out of $4 million, according to an indictment Thursday in New York. Anthony “Tony” Wroten was drafted by the Memphis Grizzlies 25th overall in the 2021 NBA Draft.
He spent three seasons with the Sixers during “The Process” era from 2013-2016, averaging 13.8 points in 110 games. Over 145 career games, Wronten averaged 11.1 points.
Federal prosecutors planned a news conference to describe the case that was brought in Manhattan federal court. By late morning, 16 of the defendants were in custody, authorities said.
According to the indictment, the ex-players engaged in a widespread scheme to defraud the plan by submitting false and fraudulent claims to get reimbursed for medical and dental expenses that were never actually incurred.
The 18 players were among 19 individuals charged in the indictment. It said that the scheme was carried out from at least 2017 to 2020, when the plan received false claims totaling about $3.9 million. Of that, the defendants received about $2.5 million in fraudulent proceeds.
Among those charged was Anthony Allen, a six-time All-Defensive team selection and a member of the 2008 champion Boston Celtics. His wife was also indicted. For the most part, though, the ex-players charged had journeyman careers playing for several different teams and never reached anywhere close to the enormous stardom or salary that top players command.
Another former player charged in the scheme was Sebastian Telfair, a one-time high school star in New York who was highly touted when he turned pro, though his NBA career with eight franchises never brought the stardom some had expected.
Those charged also included four NBA champions. Ronald Glen Davis, along with Allen, was part of that 2008 title team in Boston. Shannon Brown won two championships with the Los Angeles Lakers, and Melvin Ely won a title with San Antonio in 2007.
Among others who were charged Ruben Patterson and Darius Miles were the only players who averaged double figures for their NBA career.
Patterson averaged 10.7 points per game with six different teams. Miles, the No. 3 pick in the 2000 draft, averaged 10.1 points per game and played with four different franchises.
 
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