A New York jury has convicted Calvin Darden Jr. of all five charges he faced, including fraud, bank fraud, money laundering, and two counts of conspiracy. The case was tried in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, with prosecutors seeking a prison sentence of 11 to 14 years for Darden. His sentencing is scheduled for January 27, though he will remain free on bail with strict limits on internet usage until then.
Darden’s criminal actions included defrauding former NBA stars Dwight Howard and Chandler Parsons. Howard testified during the trial that he gave Darden $7 million for a supposed investment to purchase the WNBA’s Atlanta Dream. However, it was later revealed that the Dream was sold to a different group of investors in February 2021. Prosecutors presented evidence showing Darden spent more than $6 million of Howard’s money on luxury items, including cars, watches, a piano, and money towards a house.
Parsons was also a victim, with prosecutors explaining that he lost $1 million in a fraudulent scheme involving the development of James Wiseman, the No. 2 pick in the 2020 NBA draft. Wiseman, who currently plays for the Indiana Pacers, was never involved in the investment, and the sports agent working with Darden had no connection to him.
This isn’t Darden’s first conviction; he was sentenced to one year in prison in 2016 for attempting to impersonate his father in a failed bid to buy Maxim magazine. The case also involves Charles Briscoe, a former NBA agent who pleaded guilty to wire fraud for his role in the scheme. Additionally, former Morgan Stanley adviser Darryl Cohen has been charged and is set to stand trial next year for his involvement in fraud schemes related to Parsons, Courtney Lee, and Jrue Holiday.
Despite the serious financial damage caused to Howard and Parsons, fans hope they can recover from this deceitful ordeal. As for Darden, his actions have undoubtedly caught up with him, and as you rightly said, karma has a way of finding those who think they can deceive others without consequence.
