Former NBA player Dwight Howard’s interest in buying a stake in the WNBA’s Atlanta Dream turned into a nightmare. A businessman has been found guilty of defrauding the NBA star in the failed deal.
According to The Associated Press, a jury returned a guilty verdict against Calvin Darden, Jr. on Oct. 4 after Howard admitted in a New York City trial that he gave Darden $7 million thinking it was going towards an investment into the WNBA team.
Darden may be looking at a prison sentence between 11 and 14 years when sentencing is handed down next year.
The prosecutor said that the conman spent most of the $7 million, at least $6.1 million received from the former Los Angeles Lakers player. He bought two cars for $500,000; spent $110,000 on a
piano; placed $765,000 as a down payment on a $3.7 million home; and purchased luxury watches for $90,000 while also spending another $500,000 in upgrades for his home. He also bought art for hundreds of thousands of dollars.Prosecutors plan on seizing all of Darden’s assets, including the Atlanta home he lives in as well as the aforementioned items.
The alleged investment offered by Darden took
place when the Dream owner at the time, Atlanta former Republican U.S. Sen. Kelly Loeffler, was selling the team. In 2021, the team was sold to a three-member investor group, which included former player Renee Montgomery.Darden was previously convicted after another scheme he was involved in landed him in trouble. Prosecutors revealed that Darden partnered with a sports agent to swindle former NBA forward Chandler. Darden was able to influence Chandler into sending $1 million. The ruse involved the money being used to aid in the development of current NBA player James Wiseman.
Howard did get his dream of owning a professional basketball team when it was reported earlier this year that Howard announced that he had become part owner of a Taiwanese basketball league as well as one of its teams.