COLUMBUS, Ohio – A guilty plea is expected in the case of a man charged with a multimillion-dollar investment scam involving three former Miami Heat players and the team itself.
A grand jury indictment alleged 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.
That case is being consolidated with another against Zafar in Columbus, Ohio, where a federal judge set a plea hearing for Thursday.
Zafar’s attorney, Sam Shamansky, says Zafar is pleading guilty to accept responsibility and move on with his life.