Shabazz Muhammad's Dad Indicted On Fraud

((HT: LA Times/Bensinger))

And, now, the HQ knows where part of former UCLA one-and-done Shabazz Muhammad's rookie contract will go- defending his father against mail and wire fraud charges brought against him in Las Vegas.

Ken Bensinger's piece refers us to a Las Vegas Review-Journal piece where Muhammad's father, former UCLA star Ronald Holmes, and others used fraudulent information and so-called "straw buyers" to get home mortgages and buy and sell houses, keeping any kind of funds that were either distributed before or profit from the transaction- if a house was ever bought or sold.

The activities took place in a three-year period- 2006 to 2009. The complaintants are looking to recover more than $2.5 million.
And, apparently, this is not the first time Holmes has been accused in activity like this...

From Bensinger:

In 2000, he was sentenced to six months house arrest for fraud involving multiple mortgages in Los Angeles County that were obtained in the early 1990s using false information.

The details of that case bear remarkable similarities to the current charges. According to U.S. Atty. Daniel G. Bogden's complaint, Holmes lived in two houses obtained with fraudulent mortgage applications, and seldom made mortgage payments.

He also allegedly conspired to have straw buyers file bankruptcy petitions to delay foreclosure of homes he was occupying.

The lenders that underwrote the mortgages include Citibank, JP Morgan Chase and Centralbanc Mortgage Corp., the indictment says.

The LVRJ piece by Colton Lochhead says the plea agreement with Holmes was to pay restitution of $78,000...

Here's one of those alleged all-access pieces on Shabazz from a year ago...
((HT: courtcred.com))


It will be interesting to see which NBA team takes a flier on Muhammad- considering his apparent moodiness, self-centered behavior on the floor, and the falsifying of information involving his actual age when he enrolled in UCLA and participated in AAU ball.

Hmmmmmmm...

New Allegations At UCLA...??? (UPDATE: Parker Cleared For Now)

((HT: Scout.com via Jeff Goodman/CBSSports))

The UCLA hoops situation reminds the HQ of the end of "Oceans 11" when Terry Benedict reminds Rusty about spending all of the casino's money that they just stole.

Andy Garcia's character warns Brad Pitt not to spend the money on expensive sports cars or he'll find them all...

Kinda like UCLA...

You just start "getting" talented freshmen... Shabazz Muhammad, Kyle Anderson, and Tony Parker (a kid the HQ covered in his time at Miller Grove High School in suburban Atlanta)...

Evidence on Parker's talent below...
((HT: GPB Sports/GHSA)


There's no denying that UCLA head coach Ben Howland needed a turnaround with a newly-renovated Pauley Pavilion coming into this season...

This kind of exposure wasn't something Howland needed...

From CBS Sports Jeff Goodman via his Twitter...

Jeff Goodman‏@GoodmanCBS

The NCAA is investigating Muhammad for his ties to financial advisors. It's looking into Kyle Anderson and Tony Parker's recruitments.

TUESDAY UPDATE: Parker has been cleared by the NCAA according to Peter Yoon at ESPNLA.com which still leaves Muhammad and Anderson in play.

Even as Parker admitted that one of the reasons he went to Westwood in the first place was the hiring of his AAU coach onto Howland's staff...

More when we know more...