Calvin Darden Jr., an Atlanta resident, has been sentenced to 151 months in prison following his conviction on charges of wire and bank fraud, conspiracy to commit fraud, and money laundering. This sentence was handed down by U.S. District Judge Vernon S. Broderick as a result of Darden's involvement in defrauding former NBA players Dwight Howard and Chandler Parsons of a total of $8 million.
According to Acting U.S. Attorney Matthew Podolsky, "Calvin Darden, Jr., stole millions of dollars from former NBA players and used the money to buy a mansion, a fleet of luxury cars, and expensive artwork. This conviction—his third—and sentence make clear that severe consequences await those who take advantage of others by fraud."
In a scheme involving Dwight Howard, Darden Jr. misled Howard into believing that a $7 million investment would facilitate the purchase of the Atlanta Dream, a WNBA team. Darden Jr., with the aid of Howard's agent Charles Briscoe, falsely presented a "Vision Plan" to Howard, which included fictitious claims of support from various celebrities and corporations, including Tyler Perry and Starbucks. The money was directed to a shell company controlled by Darden Jr., who then laundered it through various accounts, ultimately spending it on luxury items rather than the team purchase.
Howard only realized the fraud when ESPN reported that the Atlanta Dream had been sold to another buyer.
In a separate fraud, Darden Jr. deceived Chandler Parsons into providing $1 million, allegedly to be loaned to James Wiseman, a prospect in the 2020 NBA draft. Darden Jr. and Briscoe fabricated documents to convince Parsons of their connection to Wiseman, but none of the funds reached Wiseman. Instead, Darden Jr. used it on personal expenses, including luxury watches and a vehicle.
This marks Darden Jr.'s third fraud conviction, with previous offenses occurring in 2005 and 2015. His previous schemes included impersonating his prominent businessman father to enhance his credibility.
Darden Jr., 50, will also face five years of supervised release and has been ordered to forfeit $8 million and various assets, including luxury cars, artwork, and real estate. Restitution of $8 million has also been mandated.
Acting U.S. Attorney Podolsky commended the efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in this case, which is being managed by the Office's Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit. The prosecution team is led by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin Mead, Brandon C. Thompson, and William C. Kinder.