NEW YORK (AP) — Federal authorities say 18 former NBA players have been charged with defrauding the league's health and welfare benefit plan out of about $4 million.
Among the players charged are three former Phoenix Suns players; Sebastian Telfair, Shannon Brown, and Milton Palacio.
A news conference was scheduled for Thursday to announce the charges brought in an indictment in Manhattan federal court.
The indictment said the ex-players and a 19th individual engaged in a widespread scheme to defraud the plan by submitting false and fraudulent claims to reimburse medical and dental expenses that were never incurred.
According to the Associated Press, the scheme occurred from at least 2017 to 2020.
The AP reported that the false claims totaled about $3.9 million, with the 19 defendants allegedly received about $2.5 million in fraudulent proceeds.
The list of former players also included Jamario Moon and Glen "Big Baby" Davis.
NBC News reported the rest of the defendants included Terrence Williams, Alan Anderson, Anthony Allen, Desiree Allen, William Bynum, Christopher Douglas-Roberts, Melvin Ely, Darius Miles, Ruben Patterson, Eddie Robinson, Gregory Smith, Charles Watson Jr., Antoine Wright, and Anthony Wroten.
No current NBA players were charged, the AP reported.
