Dwight Howard’s $7 million WNBA fraud nightmare ends as conman gets 12 years

Calvin Darden Jr., a Georgia businessman with a long history of deception, has been sentenced to more than 12 years in federal prison for orchestrating two elaborate financial scams that defrauded former NBA stars Dwight Howard and Chandler Parsons out of a combined $8 million. The fraudster reportedly offered Howard a whopping $7 million WNBA franchise deal, but Darden Jr’s deception has come to an end as he was finally sentenced.

Calvin Darden Jr. gets 12 years for scamming Dwight Howard

The 50-year-old Calvin Darden Jr., who was previously convicted in two separate fraud cases, used fake investment pitches and forged documents to convince Dwight Howard and Chandler Parsons to invest in completely fictitious ventures. On April 4, U.S. District Judge Vernon S. Broderick handed down a 12 years and 7 months sentence.

At the heart of the scheme was a phony opportunity Darden pitched to former NBA champion and eight-time All-Star, Howard. Darden lured Howard into handing over $7 million under the belief he was buying an ownership stake in the WNBA’s Atlanta Dream. He even name-dropped celebrities like Tyler Perry, Naomi Osaka, and Issa Rae as supposed advisors backing the deal — none of whom had any involvement.

"In truth and in fact, those individuals and companies had never agreed to be advisors or corporate sponsors to the Dream and many had never even heard of Darden Jr.," prosecutors said in a statement (via PEOPLE).

The Orlando Magic Hall of Famer testified during the trial, sharing how he only learned the truth when ESPN reported that the team had been sold to a separate ownership group involving former Dream player Renee Montgomery in 2021.

Meanwhile, Darden duped Chandler Parsons, a former NBA forward, out of $1 million through a separate scheme involving then-prospect James Wiseman. Darden and his associate falsely claimed they were helping develop Wiseman’s career and forged documents indicating Wiseman had agreed to be represented by their partner, Charles Briscoe.

In reality, prosecutors said, “Darden Jr. did not know Wiseman” and spent the money on “watches, a Mercedes, and other personal expenses.” Wiseman, now waived by the Toronto Raptors, was never involved in the deal.

The stolen funds were funneled into Darden’s personal luxuries. He reportedly bought a $3.7 million mansion in Atlanta, a Lamborghini, a Rolls-Royce, and $600,000 worth of art by Jean-Michel Basquiat. Other purchases included a $110,000 piano, luxury watches worth $90,000, and home upgrades totaling over $500,000.

In addition to his prison sentence, Darden was ordered to forfeit $8 million and return the luxury goods purchased with the stolen money.

It was Darden’s third conviction for fraud. In 2015, he served time for impersonating his father, who was a respected UPS executive, in a failed bid to purchase Maxim magazine.

“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,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Matthew Podolsky (per Sportico). “This conviction—his third—and sentence make clear that severe consequences await those who take advantage of others by fraud.”

Also Read: "I'm truly appreciative": Dwight Howard shares heartfelt message ahead of final Hall of Fame announcement

Darden did not appear in court for sentencing, claiming to have suffered a concussion in custody.

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