Former NBA player Glen “Big Baby” Davis has been sentenced to 40 months in prison for his involvement in an alleged $5 million fraud scheme targeting the league’s health and welfare benefit plan. Davis, along with more than a dozen other players, was charged with submitting false and fraudulent claims for reimbursement of medical and dental services that were never rendered.
Prosecutors accused Davis of making a $27,000 claim for a dental procedure in Beverly Hills, despite evidence showing he was in Las Vegas and Paris on the day of the operation. The scheme, orchestrated by former New Jersey Nets player Terrance Williams, spanned from 2017 to 2021 and involved players who collectively earned $360 million during their NBA careers.
In August, Williams was sentenced to 10 years in prison after admitting to his role in the conspiracy. Sebastian Telfair, a former Coney Island high school star and ex-Los Angeles Clipper, received three years probation and was ordered to forfeit over $350,000. Another ex-NBA player, Will Bynum, was sentenced to 18 months in prison and forced to return $183,000.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Damian Williams emphasized that the convictions of Davis and Bynum demonstrate that no one, regardless of their fame or success, is exempt from criminal charges if they engage in fraud. The scheme aimed to defraud the NBA’s health care plan and resulted in illicit profits exceeding $5 million.
Glen Davis played in the NBA for eight seasons from 2007 to 2015, representing teams such as the Celtics, Magic, and Clippers. He played a crucial role off the bench for the Boston Celtics during their 2008 NBA championship-winning campaign.
