Terrence Williams, a former NBA athlete, has confessed to participating in a plot to commit health care fraud and identity theft against the NBA’s health plan, according to authorities.
Williams acted as the head of a group of 18 players who were part of a scheme to cheat the NBA’s health care program out of more than $5 million during his four-year NBA career.
The 35-year-old made his admission in a federal court in Manhattan and is set to be sentenced in January. He could be imprisoned for up to 20 years for the conspiracy charge and face a minimum of two years for the identity theft offense.
According to the charges, the players submitted false invoices to the NBA’s health benefit plan seeking reimbursements.
“Williams led a scheme involving more than 18 former NBA players, a dentist, a doctor, and a chiropractor, to defraud the NBA Players’ Health and Welfare Benefit Plan of millions of dollars,” said U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Damian Williams. “Williams also impersonated others to help him take what was not his — money that belonged to the Plan.”
Williams, who played in the NBA from 2009 to 2013 and then continued his professional career, has agreed to reimburse $2.5 million and pay a penalty exceeding $650,000.
Other players implicated in the scandal are Sebastian Telfair and Glen “Big Baby” Davis.
