*A Georgia businessman, Calvin Darden Jr., was convicted on Friday in New York City for defrauding former NBA star Dwight Howard out of $7 million in a scam involving the purchase of the WNBA’s Atlanta Dream.
During the trial, Howard testified that Darden convinced him the money was an investment to acquire the team, but the Dream was bought by a different group in 2021, which included former WNBA player Renee Montgomery, WSBTV reports. Darden was also found guilty of scamming former NBA player Chandler Parsons out of $1 million. Darden falsely claimed that Parsons’ money would support the development of NBA player James Wiseman.
Prosecutors revealed that Darden spent millions of Howard’s money to live lavishly, including hundreds of thousands on art, $500,000 on two cars, $110,000 on a piano, $765,000 as a down payment on a $3.7 million home, $90,000 on luxury watches, and nearly half a million on home improvements. Prosecutors plan to seize Darden’s assets, according to the report.
Darden’s conviction comes eight years after he declined two plea deals and opted for a trial. Prosecutors are seeking a prison sentence of 11 to 14 years for him.
He previously served a year in prison for impersonating his prominent father in an unsuccessful attempt to buy Maxim magazine. His father, “Cal Darden, is a former senior vice president for operations at Atlanta-based United Parcel Service Inc. who has sat on the boards of several major companies,” per WSBTV.
Despite his past criminal record, the judge will allow Darden to remain free on bail until sentencing early next year.
READ MORE FROM EURWEB.COM: Dwight Howard Awarded Primary Custody of Teen Daughter
The post Dwight Howard Scammed Out of Millions in Fake Atlanta Dream Purchase appeared first on EURweb.
