COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) – A judge is preparing to sentence a man who pleaded guilty in a multimillion-dollar scam involving three former Miami Heat players and the team itself.
The government alleges that Haider Zafar (HY’-dur ZAH’-fahr) defrauded players Mike Miller, James Jones and Rashard Lewis in 2013 by promising to invest $7.5 million in various business opportunities.
Instead, prosecutors say, Zafar kept the money and used some of it to buy a $1 million, three-season Heat ticket package.
Zafar also pleaded guilty in a previous case to swindling a Washington, D.C., businessman out of $10 million between 2008 and 2010.
The five wire fraud charges each carry maximum 20-year prison sentences.
Zafar’s lawyer says his client wants to make parties in the case whole and accept whatever punishment is appropriate.