Former Nets Top Draft Pick Terrence Williams Sentenced to 10 Yrs for Defrauding NBA Health & Welfare Fund
It’s a dramatic fall for the 36 year old former basketball star who was drafted in the first round in 2009 for the then New Jersey Nets ran into disciplinary problems with the Nets in his rookie years who traded him to the Houston Rockets. By 2013, he was out of the NBA but was signed for a number of overseas team. The FBI said the one time star defrauded the NBA Health and Welfare Benefit Plan out of more than $5 million.
| 07 Aug 2023 | 01:30
Terrence Williams, a former #1 pick of the Nets who was once described as “freakishly athletic” by Rick Pitino, has been sentenced to ten years in prison, after prosecutors charged he spearheaded a scheme that defrauded the NBA Health and Welfare Benefit Plan out of more than $5 million. Photo: Steffavile Wikimedia Commons
A former first round draft pick for the Nets in 2009 who played for Rick Pitino at Louisville, was sentenced to ten years in prison for defrauding the NBA Players Health and Welfare Benefit Plan.
Terrence Williams a one time high school and college star was charged with leading a wide ranging conspiracy that defrauded the NBA health and welfare fund out of over $5 million.
“William 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,” said Judge US District Court Judge Valerie E. Caproni in his sentencing statement. “For his brazen criminal acts, Williams now face years in prison.”
It is a dramatic fall the heights for the 36 year old who was once described by the then Louisville coach Pitino as being “freakishly athletic.”
Williams was drafted out of Louisville in the first round with the 11th overall pick in 2009 by the then New Jersey Nets, but ran into disciplinary problems almost from the start of his rookie year, missing a shoot around on one occasion and a team bus on another. He was traded to the Houston Rockets in 2010 early in his sophomore season and by 2013 after brief signings with other teams, including the Boston Celtics, who offered him a four year contract before cutting him, was out of the NBA for good.
His troubles continued with overseas teams from Israel to Turkey and across Latin America with signings to play for teams in Puerto Rico, Mexico, Venezuela and the Dominican Republic, often for stints that were extremely short in duration.
Federal prosecutors said he led a sprawling scheme to defraud the NB’s health and welfare benefit plan our of more than $5 million. He previously pled guilty to conspiracy to commit health care fraud and aggravated identify theft.
According to the FBI, Williams recruited other plan participants to defraud the plan by offering to provide them with false invoices to support their fraudulent claims. His co-defendants included a dentist in California, and doctors in California and Washington State.
He also is charged with impersonating an administrator of the fund.
He was arrested in April, 2022 but prosecutors charge he threatened witnesses while out on bail awaiting trial and was remanded into custody on May 22, 2022. In one he threatened a witness for “talking way to[sic] f---ing much” and that the witness should “shut the f--k up” or “me spitting in your face is exactly what you’ll see.”
In addition to his prison time, Williams was ordered to forfeit $653,672.55 and to pay restitution in the amount of $2.5 million and will be subject to three years of supervised release when his jail time is completed.