A Georgia businessman, Calvin Darden Jr., has been sentenced to more than 12 years in federal prison after being convicted of scamming former NBA players Dwight Howard and Chandler Parsons out of millions of dollars, Fortune reports.
The 50-year-old Atlanta resident was found guilty in October of defrauding Howard out of $7 million in a fake scheme to buy the WNBA’s Atlanta Dream, as well as stealing $1 million from Parsons in a separate fraudulent investment deal.
Darden’s sentence, handed down on Thursday by a Manhattan federal court judge, also includes an order for him to forfeit $8 million in assets, which includes a $3.7 million mansion in Atlanta, artwork valued at $600,000 by renowned artist Jean-Michel Basquiat, as well as luxury cars such as a Lamborghini and a Rolls-Royce.
In court, Darden waived his right to be present during the proceedings, citing a concussion he sustained while in custody the week prior. His lawyers declined to comment following the sentencing.
Howard, an eight-time NBA All-Star and three-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year, testified during the trial that Darden deceived him into investing $7 million, promising it would go toward the purchase of the Atlanta Dream. Howard only discovered the scam when ESPN reported in 2021 that the team had been sold to an investor group, which notably included former Dream guard Renee Montgomery.
In a separate scheme, Darden, along with a sports agent, convinced Parsons to send $1 million to fund the development of NBA prospect James Wiseman. However, Wiseman, who was drafted second overall by the Golden State Warriors in 2020, never agreed to be represented by the agent, and the two had no connection to him.
Darden’s conviction followed a trial where he was found guilty on multiple charges, including wire fraud, bank fraud, and money laundering. This is not his first conviction; he had previously served a year in federal prison for impersonating his father, Cal Darden, in a failed attempt to buy Maxim magazine.
Both Howard and Parsons, who had notable NBA careers, were left to cope with the financial and personal fallout from the fraudulent activities. Howard’s illustrious career included stints with several franchises, including winning an NBA championship with the Los Angeles Lakers during the 2019-2020 season. Parsons, who retired after a nine-year career, played for teams like Houston, Dallas, Memphis, and Atlanta.
The Atlanta Dream, which was once co-owned by former US Senator Kelly Loeffler, was sold after the former senator faced pressure from players over her opposition to the league’s racial justice initiatives.
