PERSONAL FOUL

Feds Arrest Ex-NBA Player in $5 Million Fraud Scheme Aimed at League

The former point guard turned Utah Jazz player development coach and outspoken mental health advocate is accused of bilking the NBA’s Health and Welfare Benefit Plan.

Keyon Dooling, a player development coach for the Utah Jazz and former NBA point guard, has been added to a group of 19 defendants charged in a sprawling scheme to defraud the NBA’s Health and Welfare Benefit Plan. The Justice Department said the group submitted $5 million in claims for non-existent medical and dental services, $350,000 of which went to Dooling. In two of several text messages cited by prosecutors, Dooling spoke to a dentist about creating fake invoices for other players. “Let’s make this thing grow sir,” he allegedly wrote. The dentist, Aamir Wahab, allegedly responded, “Lol I’m down bro[.] Get me the whole NBA [laughing emoji].” Dooling is a child sex abuse survivor who has been outspoken about mental health. He had a psychiatric breakdown in 2012 that prompted him to retire and instead join the Celtics’ coaching staff, become director of the players association’s mental health program, and start motivational speaking. Ex-player Terrence Williams was charged in 2021 with masterminding the fraud scheme.