Darius Miles And Glen 'Big Baby' Davis Among Several Ex-Clippers, Laker, Charged In $4M NBA Healthcare Fraud Scheme

LOS ANGELES (AP/CBSLA) – Eighteen former NBA players, including several ex-Los Angeles Clippers and a former Laker, have been federally charged in a $4 million healthcare fraud scheme.

2 Nov 2000: A closeup of Darius Miles #21 of the Los Angeles Clippers looking on during the game against the Vancouver Grizzlies at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. The Grizzlies defeated the Clippers 99-91. NOTE TO USER: It is expressly understood that the only rights Allsport are offering to license in this Photograph are one-time, non-exclusive editorial rights. No advertising or commercial uses of any kind may be made of Allsport photos. User acknowledges that it is aware that Allsport is an editorial sports agency and that NO RELEASES OF ANY TYPE ARE OBTAINED from the subjects contained in the photographs.Mandatory Credit: Stephen Dunn /Allsport

The defendants include former Clippers players Darius Miles, Sebastian Telfair and Glen "Big Baby" Davis.

Shannon Brown, who won two titles with the Lakers, was also charged.

The eighteen ex-players were charged with defrauding the NBA's health and welfare benefit plan, according to an indictment Thursday in New York.

At least 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.

CBS News reports that the scheme was allegedly orchestrated by Terrence Williams, a former New Jersey Nets player. The indictment alleges he recruited other former players by supplying them fake invoices to support the fraudulent claims.

Among those 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.

Others charged also included Melvin Ely, who won a title with San Antonio in 2007, Tony Wroten, Ruben Patterson, Jamario Moon and Antoine Wright.

The 39-year-old Miles was the No. 3 overall pick by the Clippers in 2000.

A request for comment to the league wasn't immediately returned.

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