By Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Video
BBC - Guardian UK - Honduras - ESPN
SDNY COURTHOUSE, Oct 20 – Former NBA player Sebastian Telfair and 17 others former players were named in an indictment unsealed on October 7 for defrauding the NBA health fund, in Telfair's case, for $350,000.
He nevertheless got a publicly funded lawyer. Inner City Press was there, in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York Magistrates Court and live tweeted it here:
(street video here)
The case is against 18 former NBA players "for defrauding the NBA’s Health and Welfare Benefit Plan out of approximately $4,000,000."
One of the players, a former Chicago Bull, is Shannon Brown. Brown is a native of the Chicago area too, having played high school basketball at Proviso East. On October 20 in the SDNY he was given a public funded lawyer, from a white show law firm, Milbank. We'll have more on this.
From October 7: OK - ex NBA Sebastian Telfair @SDNYLIVE Magistrates court. He was arrested at 6:54 am. He is in gray sweater and COVID mask.
Telfair applies for and hets publicly funded lawyer, Ms Colson. Judge Parker: you are charged with defrauding NBA Health Plan for $350,000.
Colson: Not guilty.
US Attorney has agreed to free Telfair on $250,000 bond, 2 co-signers. Judge accepts it.
MagistrateJudge Parker: Mr. Telfair, ou'll be released today with condition to be met in 2 weeks. Speedy Trial Act time excluded to Oct 25 control date. Line up below.
Telfair walking away from photographers after court, photo by Matthew Russell Lee 10/7/21
The line up: Indictment charging TERRENCE WILLIAMS, ALAN ANDERSON, ANTHONY ALLEN, DESIREE ALLEN, SHANNON BROWN, WILLIAM BYNUM, RONALD GLEN DAVIS, CHRISTOPHER DOUGLAS-ROBERTS, a/k/a “Supreme Bey,” MELVIN ELY, JAMARIO MOON, DARIUS MILES, MILTON PALACIO, RUBEN PATTERSON, EDDIE ROBINSON, GREGORY SMITH, SEBASTIAN TELFAIR, CHARLES WATSON JR., ANTOINE WRIGHT, and ANTHONY WROTEN with conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud, in connection with a scheme to defraud the National Basketball Associations (“NBA’s”) Health and Welfare Benefit Plan out of nearly $4,000,000. TERRENCE WILLIAMS is also charged with aggravated identity theft in connection with the same scheme. The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge Valerie E. Caproni.
The positions: WILLIAMS and WROTEN will be presented in the Western District of Washington. DAVIS will be presented in the Central District of California. SMITH will be presented in the Eastern District of California. PATTERSON will presented in the Northern District of Ohio. MOON will be presented in the Northern District of Alabama. BYNUM and ELY will be presented in the Northern District of Illinois. MILES will be presented in the Middle District of Florida. ANDERSON, WATSON, and WRIGHT will be presented in the District of Nevada. BROWN will be presented in the Northern District of Georgia. DESIREE ALLEN will be presented in the Western District of Tennessee. TELFAIR will be presented in the Southern District of New York before U.S. Magistrate Judge Katharine H. Parker. ANTHONY ALLEN, DOUGLAS-ROBERTS, SMITH and ROBINSON remain at large
The case is US v. Williams, et al., 21-cr-603 (Caproni)
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