The United States Attorney’s Office has recently divulged that Terrence Williams, a former NBA player, has been sentenced to 10 years in prison after being found guilty of defrauding the league’s health and welfare benefit plan. This scam involved Williams stealing a staggering amount of over $5 million. Williams has remained in custody since 2022, as he posed a threat to witnesses involved in his case.

Throughout his career, Williams played for various NBA teams. He has now pleaded guilty to several charges, including conspiracy to commit health care and wire fraud, as well as aggravated identity theft. The scheme he orchestrated was quite elaborate, with Williams submitting fraudulent claims for medical and dental services that were never rendered. He collaborated with more than a dozen individuals, including dentists and doctors, to carry out this plan successfully. Moreover, he went as far as impersonating a health plan employee and even resorted to threatening players who did not provide him with kickback payments.

The fraudulent activities began to unravel when former NBA center Gregory Smith submitted a claim for dental work supposedly conducted in Beverly Hills while he was, in fact, playing in Taiwan. This discrepancy in paperwork raised suspicions and ultimately contributed to Williams’ arrest.

Aside from the severe prison sentence imposed upon him, Williams has also been ordered to forfeit $653,672.55 and make restitution of $2.5 million. It is disheartening to see how a player who was once chosen as the 11th overall pick in the 2009 NBA Draft has struggled to find long-term success in the league, eventually succumbing to engaging in criminal activities.