By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
The mastermind behind the case of players defrauding the NBA Players’ Health and Welfare Benefit Plan, Terrence Williams was handed hefty prison time, as announced Thursday.
“Williams led a wide-ranging scheme to steal millions of dollars from the NBA Players’ Health and Welfare Benefit Plan. Williams recruited medical professionals and others to expand his criminal conspiracy and maximize his ill-gotten gains. Williams not only lined his pockets through fraud and deceit, but he also stole the identities of others and threatened a witness to further his criminal endeavors. For his brazen criminal acts, Williams now faces years in prison,” described U.S. Attorney Damian Williams, per the United States Attorney’s Office, Southern District of New York.
The former NBA player, a veteran of 158 appearances in the league between the Boston Celtics, Sacramento Kings, Houston Rockets, and New Jersey Nets from 2009 to 2013, was sentenced to ten years in prison. In addition, he was sentenced to three years of supervised release and ordered to forfeit 653,672.55 dollars and to pay restitution in the amount of 2,500,000 dollars.
Williams, 36, was among multiple former NBA players arrested in 2021 upon federal investigation. In 2022, he pleaded guilty confessing to leading the defrauding of the Plan that covers former and retired NBA players and their families. The false claims regarding medical and dental services summed up to at least five million dollars and were connected to kickback payments of at least 300,000 dollars toward Williams.
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