Mike Miller, Rashard Lewis and James Jones were all allegedly ripped off by a man accussed of operating a multi-million dollar real estate scam. U.S. District Judge Edmund A. Sargus denied bond to Haider Zafar, who faced a 135-count indictment that says he schemed to swindle a Washington, D.C. businessman out of $10 million between 2008 and 2010.
Zafar is a Pakistan native and a legal U.S. resident of south Florida, which is obviously where he came in contact with Heat players. And Zafar carried it out like a baller, too. Here's what the Associated Press reported from a witness testimony. Really, this is out of sight.
The complaint accuses Zafar of telling Sidhu that his uncle was Pakistan's defense minister and was responsible for buying property for that country's government. It says Zafar told Sidhu they could buy land in Pakistan and later sell it to the government for a profit.
The basketball players aren't mentioned in the criminal complaint.
The witness who testified during Thursday's hearing, international-investment attorney Andrew Fine, said some Heat players, including former forward Mike Miller, and other Florida residents invested $8 million with Zafar. The other players are forward Rashard Lewis and guard James Jones, a person with knowledge of the case told The Associated Press. The person requested anonymity because it is an active investigation.
The Heat, in a statement Friday, said the team remains in "constant contact" with the authorities handling the investigation.
Prosecutors allege Zafar used his investor's money to fuel an opulent life. The indictment mentions purchases of several luxury cars, including a 2009 Rolls-Royce Phantom convertible, diamonds and watches, among other items.
