An Atlanta man has been sentenced to over 12 years in prison for swindling former NBA players Dwight Howard and Chandler Parsons out of a combined $8 million, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York announced. Calvin Darden Jr. faced Judge Vernon S. Broderick, who handed down a 151-month sentence after a conviction on charges including conspiracy to commit wire and bank fraud, and money laundering, as per a statement obtained by the U.S. Attorney's Office.
According to the announcement by Acting U.S. Attorney Matthew Podolsky, “Calvin Darden, Jr., stole millions of dollars from former NBA players and used the money to buy a mansion, a fleet of luxury cars, and expensive artwork. This conviction—his third—and sentence make clear that severe consequences await those who take advantage of others by fraud.” Darden Jr., who has two prior fraud convictions, utilized his father’s prominence in business circles in his deceitful activities, repeatedly impersonating him to lend credence to his fraudulent ventures.
The case outlined a ruse in which Darden Jr. led Howard to believe he was investing $7 million in the purchase of the Atlanta Dream, a WNBA team. The supposed deal included endorsements and advisory commitments from celebrities and companies like Tyler Perry and Starbucks, which ultimately proved to be fabricated. In the fraud committed against Parsons, Darden Jr. tricked him into handing over $1 million with the false pretense of loaning the money to a future NBA draft prospect, James Wiseman. None of the supposed dealings were legitimate, however, and Darden Jr. diverted the stolen funds for personal use, including luxury vehicles and high-end artwork.
Subsequently, the financial deceit left Darden Jr. facing not only a substantial prison term but also a mandate for restitution and forfeiture of acquired assets, including millions in cash, luxury cars, artwork by Jean-Michel Basquiat, and an extravagant Atlanta property. As reported by the U.S. Attorney's Office, the court ordered Darden Jr. to forfeit $8,000,000 and to make restitution in the amount of $8,000,000.
The prosecution's success was due in part to the efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with commendations from Mr. Podolsky for their work. The case was carried out by the Office’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit, with Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin Mead, Brandon C. Thompson, and William C. Kinder leading the legal proceedings against Darden Jr.
