2024-10-07 DOJ SDNY press_release 117 KB 5,364 chars

Atlanta Businessman Convicted Of Defrauding Former NBA Players Dwight Howard And Chandler Parsons

summary

Calvin Darden, Jr. defrauded NBA players Dwight Howard and Chandler Parsons out of $8 million through elaborate schemes and was convicted on multiple counts.

paragraph

Calvin Darden, Jr., an Atlanta businessman, deceived Dwight Howard into sending $7 million to purportedly buy the Atlanta Dream WNBA team and Chandler Parsons into sending $1 million to supposedly loan to NBA prospect James Wiseman. Darden laundered the funds through shell companies and used them for luxury purchases, including a $3.7 million mansion and sports cars. He was convicted of conspiracy to commit wire and bank fraud, wire fraud, bank fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and money laundering.

narrative

Calvin Darden, Jr., a 50-year-old Atlanta businessman with prior fraud convictions in 2005 and 2015, was convicted of defrauding former NBA players Dwight Howard and Chandler Parsons out of $8 million. He deceived Howard into sending $7 million by fabricating a plan to buy the Atlanta Dream WNBA team, complete with forged endorsements from celebrities and corporations. Darden impersonated his prominent businessman father to add credibility to the scheme and laundered the money through various bank accounts, using it to purchase luxury goods such as a $3.7 million mansion, a Rolls-Royce, and Basquiat paintings. In a separate scheme, Darden tricked Parsons into sending $1 million under the false pretense of loaning it to NBA prospect James Wiseman, forging documents to support the deception. Darden was found guilty on five counts: conspiracy to commit wire and bank fraud, wire fraud, bank fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and money laundering. He faces a maximum sentence of up to 120 years in prison and is scheduled to be sentenced on January 27, 2024. The case was prosecuted by the Office's Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit.

Enriched metadata

Scheme: unclassified (30%)
Court: Southern District of New York
Outcome: convicted

Classified unclassified(confidence 30%). No EDGAR filing fingerprint (criminal/DOJ-side scheme). detection rule →

Extracted insights

Dollar amounts 4

$8.00M $8 million $1M–$10M
$7.00M $7 million $1M–$10M
$3.70M $3.7 million $1M–$10M
$1.00M $1 million $1M–$10M

Entities 1

scheme_term howard to send the $7 million to a shell company he controlled

Triples 13

Calvin Darden, Jr. Exploit Trust of former NBA players Dwight Howard and Chandler Parsons
Calvin Darden, Jr. Deceive Dwight Howard into sending him $7 million
Calvin Darden, Jr. Work with Charles Briscoe to perpetrate the fraud
Calvin Darden, Jr. Send A Vision Plan to Howard about the purported purchase of the Dream
Calvin Darden, Jr. Impersonate Relative-1 to add credibility to his fraud scheme
Calvin Darden, Jr. Direct Howard to send the $7 million to a shell company he controlled
Calvin Darden, Jr. Launder The money through a number of different bank accounts he controlled
Calvin Darden, Jr. Spend The money on a $3.7 million mansion, a Rolls-Royce, a Lamborghini, a Porsche, Basquiat paintings, and other luxury goods for himself
Calvin Darden, Jr. Deceive Parsons into sending him $1 million
Calvin Darden, Jr. Forge A document stating that Wiseman had agreed that Briscoe would be his agent
Calvin Darden, Jr. Spend His cut of the fraud proceeds on watches, a Mercedes, and other personal expenses
Calvin Darden, Jr. Previously Convict Of fraud in New York state in 2005
Calvin Darden, Jr. Convict Of fraud in the Southern District of New York

View original DOJ press releasejustice.gov

Extracted body text (5,364c)

Press Release Atlanta Businessman Convicted Of Defrauding Former NBA Players Dwight Howard And Chandler Parsons Monday, October 7, 2024 Share FacebookLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the “external link” icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link. XLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the “external link” icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link. LinkedInLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the “external link” icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link. Email For Immediate Release U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of New York Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today the conviction of CALVIN DARDEN, JR. for his role in defrauding former National Basketball Association (“NBA”) players Dwight Howard and Chandler Parsons out of $8 million. The defendant was found guilty following an 11-day jury trial before U.S. District Judge Vernon S. Broderick.U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Calvin Darden, Jr. exploited the trust of former NBA players Dwight Howard and Chandler Parsons, using elaborate lies and deception to line his own pockets with millions. This conviction serves as a stark reminder that financial deceit will not be tolerated. This Office remains committed to pursuing those who exploit others, and we will work tirelessly to ensure that justice is served.”According to court documents and evidence presented at trial:In the fraud against Howard, DARDEN, JR. deceived Howard into sending him $7 million, purportedly for the purpose of buying the Atlanta Dream (the “Dream”), a team in the Women’s National Basketball Association. DARDEN, JR. worked with Charles Briscoe, Howard’s agent, to perpetrate the fraud. DARDEN, JR. sent a “Vision Plan” to Howard about the purported purchase of the Dream. The Vision Plan falsely claimed that a number of celebrities and companies—including Tyler Perry, Issa Rae, Naomi Osaka, Aflac, and Starbucks—had agreed to be advisors to the Dream or to sponsor the Dream after Howard purchased it. In truth and in fact, those individuals and companies had never agreed to be advisors or corporate sponsors to the Dream and many had never even heard of DARDEN, JR. or the plan to purchase the Dream.DARDEN, JR.’s father (“Relative-1”) is a prominent businessman. DARDEN, JR. repeatedly impersonated Relative-1 in an attempt to add credibility to his fraud scheme.DARDEN, JR. directed Howard to send the $7 million to a shell company he controlled, in order to effectuate the purported purchase of the Dream. DARDEN, JR. then laundered the money through a number of different bank accounts he controlled. DARDEN, JR. did not spend any money on the purchase of the Dream. Instead, he spent the money on a $3.7 million mansion, a Rolls-Royce, a Lamborghini, a Porsche, Basquiat paintings, and other luxury goods for himself.Howard learned that he did not in fact own the Dream only when ESPN reported that the Dream had in fact been sold to someone else.In the fraud against Parsons, DARDEN, JR. deceived Parsons into sending him $1 million, purportedly for the purpose of loaning the money to James Wiseman, a prospect in the 2020 NBA draft. DARDEN, JR. and Briscoe falsely claimed to know Wiseman, and forged a document stating that Wiseman had agreed that Briscoe would be his agent in order to convince Parsons to send the money. In truth and in fact, DARDEN, JR. and Briscoe did not know Wiseman and did not send any of the money to Wiseman. Instead, DARDEN, JR. spent his cut of the fraud proceeds on watches, a Mercedes, and other personal expenses.DARDEN, JR. was previously convicted of fraud in New York state in 2005. He was also convicted of fraud in the Southern District of New York in 2015. In the 2015 case, DARDEN, JR. committed frauds involving a purported purchase of Maxim magazine and a purported NBA exhibition game in Taiwan. In that prior fraud, DARDEN, JR. also impersonated Relative-1 in an attempt to add credibility to his fraud scheme.* * *DARDEN, JR., 50, of Atlanta, Georgia, was convicted of one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 30 years; one count of wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years; one count of bank fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 30 years; one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years; and one count of money laundering, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years.The statutory maximum sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as the sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the judge. DARDEN, JR. is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Broderick on January 27, 2024, at 11:00 a.m.Mr. Williams praised the outstanding work of the FBI.The case is being prosecuted by the Office’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin Mead, Brandon C. Thompson, and William C. Kinder are in charge of the prosecution. Updated October 7, 2024 Component USAO - New York, Southern Press Release Number: 24-311

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