Author: Monojit Mandal
Terrence Williams, a former first-round pick in the NBA draft, was sentenced to ten years in prison by a federal judge on Thursday for organizing a $5 million health care scam. The judge accused Williams of using his charisma to convince people to join the fraudulent scheme, which took place after he had spent a significant part of the money from his great professional basketball career.
Terrence Williams, 36, of Seattle, was also ordered to forfeit $650,000 and pay $2.5 million in restitution for violating the NBA’s Health and Welfare Benefits Plan between 2017 and 2021. Williams worked with a California dentist and doctors in California and Washington to generate money by fabricating medical and dental expense claims.
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Prosecutors said Williams used medical professionals to fabricate fake bills, which were later sued by other employees hired by Williams to defraud the health benefits plan. The plan was created to meet the medical needs of current and retired NBA players, as well as their families.
During the sentencing, Judge Valerie E. Caproni reprimanded Williams, saying: “You were another player who wasted substantial earnings from his time as a professional basketball player.” You should have enough money to last a lifetime, but you don’t“.
Williams was selected by the New Jersey Nets as the 11th overall pick in the 2009 NBA lottery, kicking off a brilliant career. He played for several clubs over the years, including the Boston Celtics, the Houston Rockets and the Sacramento Kings, before retiring in 2013.
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Williams pleaded guilty to conspiracy to conduct health care fraud and wire fraud, as well as aggravated identity theft. His case also resulted in criminal charges against 18 former NBA players, 13 of whom have already pleaded guilty. Notably, some of these athletes avoided prison by doing “time served” or gaining parole. According to the authorities, around 10 of the former players paid bribes totaling approximately $230,000 to Williams.
Although many of the players implicated have had relatively modest careers and earnings compared to the NBA’s top stars, the collective earnings of the 18 players during their time in the league came to an impressive $343 million, without taking into account outside income, endorsements or overseas commitments.
Williams expressed regret for his conduct in a moving moment before his sentencing, attributing his offenses to “stupidity and greed”. He sobbed as he realized that his sentence would take him away from his six children, two of whom were already adults. Williams also acknowledged that he was struggling with an addiction to opiates, which he blamed on taking painkillers to deal with lingering ailments from his basketball career.
Despite Williams’ emotional appeal, Judge Caproni suggested that he had used his charisma to lure friends and accomplices into the fraudulent scheme, instead of looking for a legitimate job. She described his actions as “extortionate” and “aggressive” and blamed greed for his crimes.
Terrence Williams now faces a ten-year prison sentence, reflecting the harsh repercussions of his fraudulent conduct. The case serves as a stark warning to anyone who might be considering similar health fraud, emphasizing the importance of ethics and responsibility in professional sports and beyond.