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USA Today via Reuters

USA Today via Reuters

Over the years, the NBA has witnessed some players get in trouble with the law for a multitude of reasons. But most of these cases have transpired outside the confines of the league. However, in late 2021, one of the biggest frauds in NBA history, amounting to millions, came to light under the purview of the New York District Attorney. Eighteen former NBA players were accused of stealing millions by defrauding the league’s health and welfare benefits program through a scheme involving fake medical and dental expenses. After further probing, Terrence Williams, Keyon Dooling, and Alan Anderson emerged as the ‘ringleaders’ of the elaborate scheme.

Consequently, the three players and others involved were arrested in April last year. Fast forward to today, after the trial, the defendants were reported sentenced to at least two years of imprisonment and subjected to hefty fines. The shocking news took the NBA world by storm amid the exciting All-Star weekend.

Former NBA players sentenced to prison

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In late 2021, it came to light that the NBA’s health and welfare plan was subjected to major fraud by 18 ex-NBA players. After an extensive investigation by the FBI, it was uncovered that certain ex-NBA players were reaping the plan’s benefits by submitting fake medical invoices. Most of these players operated as a collective unit under an elaborate scheme. Reportedly, the scheme ran from 2017 to 2020, defrauding the plan in excess of $5 million.

Moreover, after further probing, Terrence Williams, Keyon Dooling, and Alan Anderson emerged as the primary enablers of the scheme and were arrested in April last year. Consequently, after the prosecution, Keyon Dooling and Allan Anderson were sentenced to imprisonment recently. According to the latest report by the Department of Justice, Dooling, who served as a development coach with the Utah Jazz at the time of his arrest, embezzled over $363,000 under the fraudulent scheme. He also helped other players steal over $190,000 from the plan. Over the weekend, he was sentenced to 30 months in prison. The players will have to pay over $665,000 in restitution.

According to U.S. Attorney Damian Williams, ?These former players recruited others to take part in this widespread fraud scheme and went to great lengths to keep the scheme running smoothly, facilitating hundreds of thousands of dollars of fraudulent claims.? This Office will continue to aggressively prosecute those engaged in health care fraud schemes, no matter what their profession.”

Likewise, Alan Anderson bagged over $120,000 in reimbursements and helped other players defraud the plan by over $700,000. Anderson was sentenced to 24 months in prison. Terrence Williams, who emerged as one of the ‘ringleaders’ of the scheme, pleaded guilty last year and is due for sentencing.

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The shocking news of their arrest over the exciting NBA All-Star weekend slipped the NBA world into an uproar.

NBA world in shambles

The disturbing news of the fraud and the subsequent imprisonment forced many fans to voice their concerns. However, many fans were mostly shocked by the appalling imprisonment charges.

Here are some fan reactions on Twitter:

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What are your thoughts on the shocking imprisonment? Let us know in the comments below.

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