18 former National Basketball Association players are facing charges of defrauding the league’s health and welfare benefit plan out of about $4 million. 

Federal authorities explain that the players became involved in a widespread scheme where they made false claims to receive reimbursement for medical expenses that were never actually billed. 

The 18 NBA players, who are among the 19 defendants, received over $360 million combined throughout their careers.

This scheme is thought to have occurred from 2017 to 2020. In that time frame, the players accumulated $3.9 million from the NBA’s health care and welfare benefit plan. 

Many players with different histories in the league contributed to the scheme.  

For starters, six-time All-Defensive team selection and member of the 2008 championship-winning Boston Celtics, Anthony Allen, was one of the players charged with exploitation of the healthcare plan. 

The indictment names Terrence Williams as the mastermind of the operation as he recruited other players to create invoices for funds of at least $230,000 each. Williams is known for his time playing for the New Jersey Nets at the prime of his career. 

An NBA spokesperson has stated that the players are cooperating with law enforcement and called the accusations “particularly disheartening.”