The United States tries to make sure that no one stands above the law. Everyone can be arrested whether it is an ordinary citizen or a world-class athlete. The NBA is no exception in that regard and players have been arrested frequently over the years, some for more serious reasons than others.
What NBA players have been arrested? Some of the most prominent NBA Stars have been arrested. The list includes players such as Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan, Barnard King, Jason Kidd, Scottie Pippen, Gilbert Arenas and Jermaine O’neal. It is important to note that not all of these arrests resulted in charges or convictions of any kind. According to the NBA Crime Library, throughout NBA history over 400 basketball players have been arrested.
As you can see a variety of players have been arrested for a variety of things over the history of the NBA, some much more serious than the others.
One of the most prominent series of arrests happened in October, 2021 when 18 former NBA players were arrested in the United States. Let’s have a closer look at players that have been involved in crime accidents and were subsequently arrested.
What Happened in October 2021?
The FBI arrested 18 former NBA players in a health insurance fraud case. Ex-basketball players filed fake medical and dental claims that they never actually received.
All of the listed individuals in the period-2017/2020 demanded a refund of $3.9 million from the NBA health insurance and social security program. Approximately $2.5 million has gone into the pockets of basketball players who face up to 20 years in prison for conspiracy to cheat. The FBI raid was massive. 16 people were arrested in 10 different locations in the United States, the rest were tied up during the day. Most of them were released on bail in the amount of $25,000-$75,000.
What was most striking is how clumsily the scammers worked. Medical forms of an atypical format were used. Documents were drawn up with grammatical errors. Many fake certificates had the same date. For example, Davis, Allen, and other ones used the same dental services from the same doctor at the same time. Apparently, the scam of 18 ex-NBA players was too small and the law enforcement agencies simply couldn’t get their hands on it.
Below we will have a look at some notable players that were arrested.
Terrence Williams
Terrence Williams is the alleged mastermind and “mastermind” of the scheme. Drafted by the New Jersey Nets with the 11th overall pick in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft, he didn’t live up to expectations.
Since 2015, he has not performed at a professional level. Williams recruited other players to participate in the scam. Terrence suggested that they make fake medical bills. For this, they gave him kickbacks, which accumulated in the amount of at least $ 230 thousand. All certificates were fake. Terrence himself also posed as a fake insurance worker.
Tony Allen
Tony Allen is one of the best defensive players in recent NBA history.Not only did Tony himself participate in a dubious scam, but he also dragged his family into it. The pettiness of Allen (and other participants in the scheme) is striking.
During his career in the NBA, Tony Allen earned $ 40.7 million. Yes, the last years were difficult, but the accumulated funds were quite enough for competent investments. Instead, Allen took the dubious route of participating in the Williams scheme.
Shannon Brown
He played with LeBron James in the Cleveland Cavaliers and also won two NBA titles with Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol in the Los Angeles Lakers (2009, 2010) as a key rotation player. Brown received $14.7 million in the league. It is not something super, but decent money for a quiet life. Again, capital can be multiplied by legitimate investment in some businesses. Brown will no longer be viewed primarily as a champion with the Lakers but as a fraud.
Sebastian Telfair
Sebastian Telfair played for nine NBA teams from 2004 to 2014. He received $19.5 million. Telfair twice was on the verge of going to jail. In 2007, he was given a three-year suspended sentence for illegal possession of weapons. In 2017, he was caught on the same charge, but the court considered the appeal for 4 years. As soon as Sebastian got caught in the medical services fraud, the court immediately rejected the same appeal for possession of a weapon.
CJ Watson
Watson played alongside Stephen Curry during his rookie season with the Golden State Warriors. CJ dated reality TV star Josie Harris, who was previously in a relationship with boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr.
Glen Davis
Glen Davis was a key player on the Boston Celtics‘ championship team. Not as important as Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Rajon Rondo or Ray Allen, but still very useful. Probably the most famous on the list of defendants along with Tony Allen. Apparently, one of the most dimensional centers in the history of the league did not have enough to live on.
Jamario Moon
Moon played for five NBA teams from 2007 to 2012, including playing for the Cleveland Cavaliers with LeBron James. He earned $ 6.9 million. Not the main rich man on the list, but again, getting involved in a scam made no sense.
Alex Caruso
Alex Caruso was not on the following list, but he was also arrested for possession of marijuana and paraphernalia. On the same day, the basketball player was released after posting bail.
The Department of Transportation and Security searched Alex’s bags and found a herb grinder containing marijuana. As a result, Caruso was arrested for possession of less than 2 ounces (56.7 grams) of marijuana.
Caruso’s stats in the 2019/2020 NBA regular season were 58 games, 6.4 points, 2.9 rebounds and 2.8 assists (with 1.3 losses) in 21 minutes, with 40.1% three-point shooting when he became a champion with the Lakers. Right now he is playing for the Chicago Bulls.