Five Ex-Celtics Among Former NBA Players Arrested On Fraud Charges

Among the 18 former NBA players arrested Thursday for an alleged health insurance fraud scheme are five players Boston Celtics fans might remember supporting over the years.

Federal prosecutors indicted former Celtics Tony Allen, Glen “Big Baby” Davis, Milt Palacio, Sebastian Telfair and Terrence Williams, and 13 other ex-NBA players for their alleged roles in an alleged health insurance scheme to defraud the NBA’s benefit plan of nearly $4 million, according to WNBC’s Jonathan Dienst, Tom Winter, John Chandler and Courtney Copenhagen. They face charges of conspiracy to commit health care and wire fraud as well as aggravated identity theft.

Prosecutors allege the players submitted fake reimbursement claims for medical and dental services that never were rendered between 2017 and 2020. The claims totaled around $3.9 million, from which the NBA Players’ Health and Welfare Benefit Plan reimbursed them around $2.5 million.

Williams was the alleged ring leader, as he recruited players into the scheme and offered them false documents in exchange for kickback payments worth at least $230,000.

Williams played for the Celtics in 2013. Davis represented Boston between 2007 and 2011. Allen was a Celtic between 2005 and 2010. Telfair played one season for the Celtics in 2006-07. Palacio’s Celtics career ran between 2000 and 2002.