Former NBA Players Convicted of Health Care Fraud Scheme

A grand jury in New York has convicted former NBA players of bilking the basketball league's health care plan of millions of dollars while trying to recruit other players to join the scheme.

Among those found guilty were Ronald Glen "Big Baby" Davis, who played eight seasons in the NBA and won a championship in 2008 with the Boston Celtics, and William Bynum, who last played in 2015 for the Washington Wizards.

According to federal prosecutors, Davis and the other players conspired with California dentist Aamir Wahab and William Washington, a doctor in Washington state, between 2017 and 2021 to submit fake medical and dental bills for reimbursement, even though the services were not actually done.

"While many of the more than 20 defendants convicted in this case were well-known NBA stars, their conduct was otherwise a typical fraudulent scheme designed to defraud the NBA's health care plan and net the defendants over $5 million in illicit profits," U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said in a statement Wednesday, adding that "despite notoriety or success in sports or any other field, no one is exempt from criminal charges if they engage in fraud."

Former NBA player Terrence Williams has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for defrauding NBA players, according to a news release from the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York. Williams, who played four seasons in the league, was the ringleader of the scheme. The NBA, along with players Andrew Bynum and Glen Davis, have not yet responded to the news.

NBA's health care plan

The NBA provides a supplemental health care plan for active and former players, as well as their spouses and dependents. This plan covers certain medical expenses that may not be covered by a primary health plan provider. The plan is funded by revenue generated from each of the league's 30 teams. Members of the plan are required to submit medical claims to the league and certify that the claims are accurate and truthful.

In April 2022, federal prosecutors charged Davis and other players with healthcare fraud and wire fraud conspiracy. According to an unsealed indictment, Williams enlisted former players Keyon Dooling and Alan Anderson to recruit other former players to submit fraudulent medical claims. Dooling and Anderson allegedly offered to provide fake invoice paperwork in exchange for payments.

It appears that health care fraud is becoming a growing problem in professional sports, as evidenced by the recent conviction of basketball players. Just last month, a group of former NFL players admitted their guilt in defrauding the football league's health care plan. Among them was former star Clinton Portis and several retired players who collectively submitted $3.9 million in false claims. Between June 2017 and December 2018, the league paid out $3.4 million of that amount, according to federal prosecutors.