Ex-NBA player Terrence Williams sentenced to 10 years in prison for leading $5 million health care fraud against the league

Former NBA player Terrence Williams was sentenced to 10 years in prison on Thursday after leading a “brutal” scheme involving at least 19 players to cheat a league health plan into paying millions of dollars for fake medical procedures, it said federal prosecutors.

Williams, 36, who played for the New Jersey Nets and three other teams from 2009 to 2013, pleaded guilty last August to conspiracy to commit health care and telephony fraud and aggravated identity theft.

U.S. District Judge Valerie Caproni of Manhattan Federal Court also ordered him to pay $2.5 million in restitution to the NBA Players’ Health and Welfare Benefit Plan and forfeiture of $653,673, in accordance with his plea agreement.

A father of six, Williams was born and raised in Seattle and lived there before his arrest in October 2021.

He has been incarcerated in Brooklyn since May 2022 after prosecutors said he threatened a witness via text message.

Williams, 36, played for the New Jersey Nets and three other NBA teams from 2009 to 2013

Williams lawyers did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Prosecutors had demanded a prison sentence of 10 to 12 years, while Williams had demanded no more than 50 months.

Williams was charged with recruiting players to submit false invoices for medical and dental work that was never performed, in exchange for at least $300,000 in kickbacks.

He was also accused of posing as a health plan manager who questioned a fee to frighten another player, who had not paid a bribe, into contacting him again.

Prosecutors said at least $5 million in false claims were made, with the defendants receiving $2.5 million in fraudulent proceeds.

Questionable cases included bills that reportedly showed former Boston Celtics player Tony Allen and another player receiving crowns on the same six teeth on the same day.

As the leader of the plan, Williams “raised the conspiracy,” prosecutors said.

More than half of the 24 people charged in the investigation have pleaded guilty according to court records. Among the defendants are a dentist, a doctor and a chiropractor.

Allen, a six-time member of the NBA All-Defensive Team, will be sentenced on August 8 after pleading guilty to a conspiracy charge.

Prosecutors recommended a prison sentence of less than 21 months, citing his acceptance of responsibility and desire to make amends.