A man who defrauded NBA star Dwight Howard of $7 million by enticing him into a phoney investment deal has been sentenced to 12 years in prison. Calvin Darden Jr. orchestrated a scam that swindled Howard, a former NBA champion, and Chandler Parsons, a former Houston Rockets player, out of a total of $8 million in a fabricated bid to purchase the Atlanta Dream. The Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Matthew Podolsky, confirmed Darden Jr.’s sentencing on Thursday, revealing that Howard was duped out of $7 million, whilst Parsons lost $1 million in the ruse.
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Darden Jr., who was absent from court during the announcement of his sentence, had collaborated with Howard’s agent, Charles Briscoe, to perpetrate the fraudulent scheme. Claiming that notable figures like Tyler Perry, Issa Rae, and Naomi Osaka were backing the purported bid, Darden Jr. falsely assured Howard of their involvement. However, investigations later revealed that these individuals had no knowledge of Darden Jr.’s activities or his claims of their participation in the deal.
The court documents disclosed that Darden Jr. channelled the embezzled funds from Howard into various personal bank accounts under his control. The misappropriated money was consequently splurged on extravagant purchases, including a $3.7 million mansion, three luxury cars, and artwork by renowned artist Jean-Michel Basquiat. Howard only discovered the deception when news broke that the Atlanta Dream had been sold to another buyer, casting doubt on Darden Jr.’s claims.
Chandler Parsons also fell victim to Darden Jr.’s deceit when he was convinced to loan $1 million for the benefit of aspiring basketball player James Wiseman. Under false pretences, Darden Jr. duped Parsons by fabricating documents claiming Wiseman’s endorsement of the transaction and his representation by Briscoe. In reality, Darden Jr. had no connection to Wiseman and misused the funds for personal gratification, acquiring luxury items and settling personal expenses instead.
Having a history of previous fraud convictions dating back to 2005, Darden Jr. faced additional charges in 2015 related to a scam involving the sale of Maxim Magazine and a purported NBA exhibition game in Taiwan. Besides the 12-year sentence, the court ordered Darden Jr. to forfeit the $8 million he obtained from the scam, as well as his luxury assets. Additionally, restitution of $8 million was mandated to compensate Howard and Parsons for their financial losses incurred as a result of the fraudulent scheme.
By swindling professional athletes out of substantial sums through deceptive investment proposals, Darden Jr. exploited their trust and financial resources for personal gain. The sentencing underscores the severity of his actions and serves as a warning to others who may seek to deceive individuals through fraudulent schemes in the future.