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As Calvin Darden Jr.—convicted last October of defrauding former NBA All-Star Dwight Howard and Howard’s ex-Houston Rockets teammate, Chandler Parsons, out of approximately $8 million—awaits sentencing on Wednesday, a federal judge has denied his request for acquittal or a new trial.
U.S. District Judge Vernon S. Broderick ruled that there was “more than ample evidence” to support the New York jury’s conviction of Darden on fraud, money laundering, and conspiracy charges. Darden stole $7 million from Howard and $1 million from Parsons through fraudulent schemes.
According to Sportico, Darden devised an elaborate scam to convince Howard that he was in the process of purchasing the WNBA’s Atlanta Dream nearly five years ago. At the time, the team was owned by Mary Brock and Kelly Loeffler, the latter now serving as administrator of the Small Business Administration. Howard was led to believe his payments were securing the franchise, but the funds were instead funneled through multiple financial institutions into a shell company.
Howard’s agent, Charles Briscoe, collaborated with Darden, further reinforcing the legitimacy of the transactions. Briscoe pleaded guilty in 2023 to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Howard only discovered the deception when he saw an ESPN report announcing the team’s sale to a group led by Northland chairman Larry Gottesdiener, Northland COO Suzanne Abair, and former Dream player Renee Montgomery.
In rejecting Darden’s motion, Judge Broderick emphasized that jurors reasonably concluded that Howard transferred $7 million to Darden and Briscoe but received nothing in return.
The judge also highlighted how Darden failed to explain his extravagant personal spending spree, totaling nearly $6 million, shortly after obtaining Howard’s funds. The illicit spending included purchases of luxury vehicles such as a Rolls-Royce and a Lamborghini, along with a multimillion-dollar mansion.
Broderick further criticized Darden’s deceptive “vision plan,” a set of documents—including slides—intended to convince Howard of his seriousness and expertise in acquiring a WNBA franchise. The judge noted the plan was riddled with falsehoods.
Among the misrepresentations, the plan claimed that prominent figures, influencers, and major brands were part of Darden’s investment group. It falsely stated that Tyler Perry and his studios were on an advisory board and committed to promoting the Dream. However, in testimony, the general counsel for Tyler Perry Studios revealed there were no known discussions between Perry and Darden, nor was there any involvement from Perry’s group.
Similar testimony came from Naomi Osaka’s agent, who confirmed that Osaka had no affiliation with Darden’s advisory board. Likewise, Emmy and Golden Globe-nominated actress Issa Rae testified that she had no knowledge of Darden or Briscoe and never agreed to serve on any board.
Former Starbucks COO Rosalind Brewer and an Aflac senior brand manager also testified, affirming that neither they nor their companies had any association with Darden. During their cross-examinations, Darden did not challenge their statements, which Broderick found significant.
Broderick also upheld the jury’s decision to convict Darden of defrauding Parsons. Parsons had believed he was loaning $1 million to then-NBA prospect James Wiseman ahead of the 2020 NBA Draft. The fraudulent scheme included a forged contract purportedly showing Wiseman had signed with Briscoe’s sports agency, adding credibility to the transaction.
In reality, the day after Parsons wired the $1 million, Briscoe transferred $544,000 to Darden’s account. Wiseman was unaware of the alleged loan and never received any money. Parsons, for his part, never recovered his $1 million investment.
Prosecutors have recommended a prison sentence of 11.25 to 14 years for Darden, while his attorneys argue that a nine-year term would be more appropriate.
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