Former NBA player Darius Miles has pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit healthcare and wire fraud, reports Ben Feuerherd of The Messenger. The charges stem from his involvement in a healthcare fraud scheme that targeted the NBA’s benefits program.
Miles, a former Clipper and third overall pick in the 2000 NBA draft, entered his guilty plea at a hearing in Manhattan Federal Court before Judge Valerie Caproni.
The scheme involved submitting fraudulent healthcare claims for reimbursement from the NBA’s players’ health and welfare benefit plan. Miles was charged alongside a doctor, a dentist, and other former NBA players, including Terrence Williams, who orchestrated the scheme. The fraud resulted in the diversion of $5 million from the benefit plan, which provides care to current and retired players.
Despite earning over $60 million during his NBA career, Miles has faced financial difficulties, filing for bankruptcy in 2016. In a 2018 op-ed, he opened up about his struggles with money and depression. Miles and Williams both face potential prison sentences of up to 20 years.
