18 former NBA players charged in alleged health care fraud scheme

Eighteen former NBA players have been arrested and charged with defrauding the NBA’s Health and Welfare Benefit Plan out of $4 million.

In an indictment filed in federal court in the Southern District of New York, the ex-players are accused of submitting false reimbursement claims from around 2017 to 2020 for medical and dental services that were not actually purchased.

The indictment said they received approximately $2.5 million in fraudulent proceeds.

According to the indictment file, Terrence Williams, 11th overall in the 2009 NBA draft by the then-New Jersey Nets, was named as the alleged ringleader of the scheme. 

Williams allegedly recruited other NBA players to defraud the health care plan by offering fraudulent invoices in exchange for kickbacks to him.

Alan Anderson, a former Washington Wizards and Los Angeles Clippers player, Shannon Brown, who played for the Cleveland Cavaliers and Los Angeles Lakers, Anthony Allen, six-time NBA All-Defensive Team member are among others charged in the scheme.

The list includes William Bynum, Ronald Glen Davis, Christopher Douglas-Roberts, Melvin Ely, Jamario Moon, and Darius Miles. Milton Palacio, Ruben Patterson, Eddie Robinson, Gregory Smith, Sebastian Telfair, Charles Watson Jr., Antoine Wright, and Anthony Wroten were also charged.

Allen’s wife, Desiree Allen, is the only woman and non-NBA player charged in the indictment.

The NBA did not immediately respond for comments. A spokesperson for the Southern District of New York did not immediately respond for comment.