Georgia businessman Calvin Darden Jr. was convicted Friday on 5 counts by a federal jury in Manhattan of defrauding former NBA gamers Dwight Howard and Chandler Parsons of a mixed $8 million in 2021.
Prosecutors stated they may push for Calvin Darden Jr. to serve between 11 and 14 years in jail
Darden was discovered responsible of fraud, financial institution fraud, cash laundering, and two completely different conspiracy counts. The case was determined within the U.S. District Courtroom for the Southern District of New York.
Howard testified in opposition to Darden throughout the trial. In reality, the jury took 5 hours to succeed in the decision after a two-week trial.
Prosecutors have stated they may push for Darden to serve between 11 and 14 years in jail, per ESPN’s Brian Windhorst.
Moreover, Darden was concerned in a number of schemes with former NBA agent Charles Briscoe. In fact, Briscoe pleaded responsible to his function within the case final 12 months.
Briscoe obtained three months of dwelling detention and three years of supervision for one depend of wire fraud in November 2023.
Dwight Howard despatched Darden a $7 million fee as a part of an effort to purchase the WNBA’s Atlanta Dream
Prosecutors introduced proof that Howard despatched Darden a $7 million fee for what the previous All-Star thought was supposed to buy the WNBA’s Atlanta Dream.
The jury was introduced proof that Darden used $6.1 million of Howard’s $7 million on two vehicles, together with a Lamborghini. Darden additionally spent $110,000 on a piano and $90,000 on watches.
The Georgia businessman spent one other $500,000 for dwelling upgrades, along with lots of of hundreds of {dollars} on artwork. He bought a $3.7 million dwelling in Atlanta as nicely.
Moreover, Chandler Parsons was tricked right into a fraudulent funding within the growth of the profession of former No. 2 draft choose James Wiseman. Parsons didn’t testify within the trial.
Darden’s sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 27, till which the decide dominated he’ll stay free on bail
In line with Law360’s Pete Brush, Darden’s sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 27. Till then, the decide dominated he’ll stay free on bail “with strict limits on web utilization.”
Prosecutors plan to grab belongings together with his dwelling in Atlanta, per The Related Press’ Larry Neumeister. Darden was additionally convicted of a multimillion fraud scheme in 2016.
In 2025, a former Morgan Stanley monetary adviser, Darryl Cohen, is ready to face trial as a part of a scheme that the federal government alleges defrauded Boston Celtics star Jrue Vacation amongst others.