AP Photo/David Zalubowski
Glen Davis, shown in 2015 when playing for the Los Angeles Clippers, is among former players who have been charged with defrauding the NBA's health and welfare benefit plan.
NEW YORK (AP) — Eighteen former NBA players have been charged with defrauding the league’s health and welfare benefit plan out of about $4 million, according to an indictment Thursday in New York.
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.
According to the indictment, the scheme developed after Terrence Williams — who began his career as a first-round NBA draft pick in 2009 — submitted $19,000 in fraudulent claims to the plan in November 2017 for chiropractic care. The claims led to a $7,672 payout for Williams.
The indictment said he then recruited other former NBA players to defraud the plan and offered to provide fraudulent invoices from a chiropractor and dentist in Southern California and a wellness office in Washington state.
At least 10 of the ex-players paid kickbacks totaling about $230,000 to Williams, according to the court papers. A lawyer who has represented Williams in the past declined to comment.
What was then the New Jersey Nets picked Williams as No. 11 in the 2009 draft. He went on to play with four franchises — the Nets, Boston, Houston and Sacramento — over four seasons as a role player, averaging 7.1 points per game. He was waived by Boston two days after his 26th birthday in 2013 and hasn’t appeared in the league since.
Among others charged was Tony 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. 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, Anthony Wroten, Ruben Patterson and Darius Miles were the only players who averaged double figures for their NBA career.
Wroten averaged 11.1 points in 145 career games. 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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Chicago Bears Walter Payton raises his hand in victory after setting a record to become the National Football League's all-time rushing leader with 12,317 yards, Sunday, Oct. 7, 1984 in Chicago. (AP Photo/Fred Jewell)
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AP FILE
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Members of the Minnesota Lynx hold the championship trophy, center, after defeating the Atlanta Dream 73-67 to complete a three-game sweep of the WNBA championship series, Friday, Oct. 7, 2011, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/David Goldman)
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2017 — Alex Ovechkin scores four goals to become the first player in 100 years with back-to-back hat tricks to open a season, and the Washington Capitals beat the Montreal Canadiens 6-1.
Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8), of Russia, celebrates his goal during the first period of a NHL hockey game against the Montreal Canadiens, Saturday, Oct. 7, 2017, in Washington. This was Ovechkn's second goal of the game.(AP Photo/Nick Wass)
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2017 — Backup Khalil Tate rushes for 327 yards, an FBS record for a quarterback, and accounts for five touchdowns to help Arizona hold off Colorado 45-42.
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Wilfredo Lee
Miami Heat guard Shannon Brown looks for an open teammate during the second half of a preseason NBA basketball game against the Atlanta Hawks in Miami, in this Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2014, file photo. Eighteen former NBA players, including Brown, have been indicted on charges alleging they defrauded the league's health and welfare benefit plan out of about $4 million, according to an indictment Thursday, Oct. 7, 2021. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee, File)
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Phelan M. Ebenhack
New Jersey Nets guard Terrence Williams, left, drives past Orlando Magic guard Vince Carter during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Orlando, Fla., in this Friday, Nov. 5, 2010, file photo. Eighteen former NBA players, including Williams, have been arrested on charges alleging they defrauded the league's health and welfare benefit plan out of about $4 million, according to an indictment Thursday, Oct. 7, 2021. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)
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John Raoux
Cleveland Cavaliers' Jamario Moon, left, makes a pass over the head of Orlando Magic's Marcin Gortat (13) during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Orlando, Fla., in this Friday, Nov. 26, 2010, file photo. Eighteen former NBA players, including Moon, have been arrested on charges alleging they defrauded the league's health and welfare benefit plan out of about $4 million, according to an indictment Thursday, Oct. 7, 2021. (AP Photo/John Raoux, File)
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John Minchillo
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Sebastian Telfair (31) dribbles past Brooklyn Nets guard Jarrett Jack (0) in the first half of an NBA basketball game in New York, in this Monday, Nov. 3, 2014, file photo. Eighteen former NBA players, including Telfair, have been charged with defrauding the league’s health and welfare benefit plan out of about $4 million, according to an indictment Thursday, Oct. 7, 2021. (AP Photo/John Minchillo, File)
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David Zalubowski
In this Jan. 21, 2017, file photo, Los Angeles Clippers guard Alan Anderson (9) looks up during a break in the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Denver Nuggets in Denver. Eighteen former NBA players, including Anderson, have been indicted on charges alleging they defrauded the league's health and welfare benefit plan out of about $4 million, according to an indictment Thursday, Oct. 7, 2021. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski, File)
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Mark Duncan
Washington Wizards' Will Bynum brings the ball up against the Cleveland Cavaliers in an NBA basketball game in Cleveland, in this Wednesday, April 15, 2015, file photo. Eighteen former NBA players, including Bynum, have been indicted on charges alleging they defrauded the league's health and welfare benefit plan out of about $4 million, according to an indictment Thursday, Oct. 7, 2021. (AP Photo/Mark Duncan, File)
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David J. Phillip
Houston Rockets' Terrence Williams poses for a photo during their NBA basketball media day in Houston, in this Thursday, Dec. 15, 2011, file photo. Eighteen former NBA players, including Williams, have been indicted on charges alleging they defrauded the league's health and welfare benefit plan out of about $4 million, according to an indictment Thursday, Oct. 7, 2021. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip, File)
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Mark Zaleski
Memphis Grizzlies center Melvin Ely shoots free throws during NBA basketball training camp at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tenn., in this Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2013, file photo. Eighteen former NBA players, including Ely, have been arrested on charges alleging they defrauded the league's health and welfare benefit plan out of about $4 million, according to an indictment Thursday, Oct. 7, 2021. (AP Photo/Mark Zaleski, File)
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Chuck Burton
Charlotte Bobcats' Darius Miles poses for a photo during media day for the NBA basketball team in Charlotte, N.C., in this Monday, Sept. 27, 2010, file photo. Eighteen former NBA players, including Miles, have been arrested on charges alleging they defrauded the league's health and welfare benefit plan out of about $4 million, according to an indictment Thursday, Oct. 7, 2021. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton, File)
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David Zalubowski
Los Angeles Clippers forward Ruben Patterson looks on against the Denver Nuggets in the first quarter of an exhibition NBA basketball game in Denver, in this Tuesday, Oct. 9, 2007, file photo. Eighteen former NBA players, including Patterson, have been arrested on charges alleging they defrauded the league's health and welfare benefit plan out of about $4 million, according to an indictment Thursday, Oct. 7, 2021. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski, File)
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AP Photo/David Zalubowski
Glen Davis, shown in 2015 when playing for the Los Angeles Clippers, is among former players who have been charged with defrauding the NBA's health and welfare benefit plan.
