Former NBA player sentenced to 10 years in prison for defrauding league's health care plan

Ex-Nets swingman Terrence Williams has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for defrauding the NBA's Health and Welfare Benefit Plan for former players, per Priscilla DeGregory of the New York Post.

Williams and 17 other ex-NBA pros were charged during a 2021 indictment in an elaborate plot to steal $5M from the league. Last year, he pleaded guilty to coordinating a scheme for his fellow ex-players to submit at least $5M in phony claims between 2017 and 2021. Williams also earned $346K in kickbacks for setting up the operation, DeGregory notes.

The most notable name on the list of additional players charged is former six-time All-Defensive Team shooting guard Tony Allen, who won a title with the Celtics as a reserve in 2008.

As part of an already-established plea agreement, the 6-foot-6 shooting guard/small forward was also ordered to pay $3.1M in restitution and forfeitures. $2.5M of that sum will be doled out in restitution to the league’s health care plan, while $650K will be forfeited to the federal government.

“Williams recruited medical professionals and others to expand his criminal conspiracy and maximize his ill-gotten gains,” the case’s prosecutor said, per DeGregory. “Williams 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.”

The then-New Jersey Nets selected Williams with the No. 11 pick in the 2009 draft out of Louisville. He spent just a year-and-a-half with the Nets, and subsequently bounced around during a brief four-season career. Across 153 regular-season games with the Nets, Rockets, Kings and Celtics, Williams averaged 7.1 PPG on .412/.317/.659 shooting splits, 3.6 RPG, 2.4 RPG and 0.5 SPG.

In addition to a later stint with the Lakers’ NBAGL affiliate, then called the Los Angeles D-Fenders, Williams also played for international clubs in China, Turkey, the Dominican Republic, the Philippines, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Israel and Venezuela.