The 46-calendar year-old pleaded responsible to financial institution and wire fraud.
The previous private assistant of ex-NBA participant and ESPN analyst Richard Jefferson has been sentenced to prison soon after officials mentioned he stole millions from the player, in accordance to news stores.
Theodore Kritza, 46, earlier pleaded responsible to lender and wire fraud, in accordance to an April 20 information launch from the U.S. Attorney’s Business office for the District of Arizona.
A lawyer for Kritza did not straight away react to a ask for for remark from McClatchy News.
Kritza commenced working for the professional basketball player, who experienced stints with teams together with the Golden Point out Warriors, the Dallas Mavericks and the Cleveland Cavaliers, in 2005 as his personalized assistant, where by his duties incorporated spending Jefferson’s expenditures.
Around the study course of quite a few several years, Kritza stole about $4.7 million from Jefferson by forging his signature on dozens of paperwork, the launch reported.
Prosecutors reported Kritza forged signatures on business enterprise financial loans, credit history line apps and his electrical power of lawyer. He also opened a bank account in Jefferson’s title to conceal his theft, the launch mentioned.
He also stole revenue from Jefferson’s many NBA salaries, endorsement contracts and the sale of his condo, the launch said.
Kritza used the income to fund a “lavish lifestyle” for him and his family members that bundled luxurious vehicles, houses, holidays, private college tuition, investments and an endeavor at paying for an airplane, prosecutors reported.
“For a long time, Theodore Kritza preyed on the have faith in he attained with the target and defrauded him of his hard-gained income and discounts, deciding on greed over believe in. Nowadays, Kritza located out the price tag of his plan,” Sean Kaul, particular agent in demand of the FBI Phoenix Area Office environment, stated in the launch. “This sentencing sends a very clear concept that fraud is a severe criminal offense, with significant penalties. The FBI remains committed to pursuing justice for all victims of fraud.”
The former assistant has been sentenced to 70 months in prison with five many years of supervised launch, the launch stated. Kritza has also been purchased to pay back $4,794,874 in restitution.
Mariah Hurry is a National Genuine-Time Reporter. She is a graduate of the College of Notre Dame and has beforehand labored for The Chicago Tribune, The Tampa Bay Times and The Philadelphia Inquirer.
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