A total of 18 former basketball players were charged with attempting to defraud the Health and Welfare Benefit Plan of the National Basketball Association, officials announced on October 7, 2021. They were each charged with conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud. 

The 18 ex-NBA players allegedly submitted $3.9 million in fake claims in total and $2.5 million was paid out. Here is the complete list of the players:

The scheme’s linchpin was Williams, according to Audrey Strauss, the U.S. attorney for the southern district of New York, United States. A native of Seattle, Washington, USA, Williams allegedly supplied false invoices to support the fraudulent claims in exchange for kickback payments that totaled at least $230,000.

Davis, Allen and Wroten filed for root canals supposedly performed on the same six teeth on April 30, 2016, according to Strauss. On May 11, 2016, Davis, Allen and Wroten allegedly put in for payments for crowns done on the same six teeth and on September 6, 2018, Wroten and Allen allegedly filed for root canals done on the same teeth.

Allen is married to Desiree Allen, who was also named as a defendant. Smith is accused of submitting claims for IV sedation, a root canal and crowns that he allegedly received during a dental procedure in Beverly Hills, California, USA on December 20, 2018.

“The defendants’ playbook involved fraud and deception,” Strauss said. “They will have to answer for their flagrant violations of law.”