Sebastian Telfair, once hailed as a high school hoops prodigy and drafted 13th overall by the Portland Trail Blazers in 2004, is headed to prison after violating terms of his supervised release stemming from an NBA health care fraud case.
Telfair, 39, was originally sentenced in 2019 for defrauding the NBA’s Health and Welfare Benefit Plan. Filing false claims totaling roughly $358,000. Though he avoided prison at the time and was given 3.5 years of supervised release, a new ruling this week has changed that.
Judge Rebukes Telfair for Violating Probation
According to Sportico, U.S. District Judge Valerie E. Caproni ruled that Telfair had failed to uphold the terms of his probation. Which includes community service, meeting regularly with a probation officer, and seeking employment. As a result, she ordered the former guard to serve six months in prison, beginning in August.
At his hearing, Telfair reportedly apologized, admitting to missed check-ins and saying he’s been trying to improve by attending construction training. But Judge Caproni wasn’t buying it.
“You thumbed your nose at your probation officer and me over and over,” she told him. The judge also criticized his lack of effort in repaying restitution, saying Telfair had made only small payments and still owed a significant balance.
Telfair played for nine NBA teams over his 10-year career, including stints with the Timberwolves, Celtics, Suns, Thunder, and Clippers. He now joins a growing list of former players implicated in the league’s benefit fraud case.
What do you think the league could do to further mitigate this from ex-players? Let me know in the Comments
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