A Georgia man, Calvin Darden Jr., has been convicted on five counts of fraud, bank fraud, money laundering, and conspiracy after scamming former NBA stars Dwight Howard and Chandler Parsons out of a combined $8 million.
Darden’s scheme involved convincing Chandler Parsons to invest in a venture supposedly supporting the development of Indiana Pacers player James Wiseman. Meanwhile, he deceived Dwight Howard into believing he was investing in a project to purchase the WNBA’s Atlanta Dream.
Darden reportedly used $6.1 million of Howard’s funds to splurge on luxury items, including a Lamborghini, a $110,000 piano, $90,000 in watches, a down payment on a $3.7 million home, and hundreds of thousands in art and home upgrades.
Former NBA agent Charles Briscoe assisted Darden in these fraudulent schemes and received a lighter sentence after pleading guilty to wire fraud. He now faces three months of home detention and three years of supervised release.
Calvin Darden Jr. was found guilty on all five charges against him and could face 11 to 14 years in prison when he is sentenced in January 2025. Despite multiple prior convictions, including a failed attempt to buy Maxim magazine fraudulently, Darden remains free on bail until his sentencing.
This conviction follows a history of fraud, marking yet another chapter in Darden Jr.’s criminal record. Prosecutors are expected to seek a lengthy prison sentence and plan to seize his assets, including the property and luxury items he purchased using the funds from Howard and Parsons.
4o
