He returns to Columbus, where he, Kate and their three children have relocated to a roomy cluster home not far from where Kate grew up and where most of her family resides. He recently served as an Analyst for NBA TV and SiriusXM NBA Radio, is a 2001 graduate of Cal-State Fullerton and a native of La Habra, California. He says he's investigating a real estate title company. The mutual trust between David and the sponsors was unassailable -- enough to even navigate a snafu that could have derailed his entire scheme. Owner Vivek Ranadiv said, "I am excited to bring his extensive experience and vision onboard to lead our basketball operations department. The longer Jeff believes the inquiry is about the title company, the more likely it is that Sommercamp can extract the details he wants. 4 pick for immediate help, De'Aaron Fox scores 33 points to lead Kings past Clippers 128-127. Kate grasps for any theory, speculating that the agents might have been con artists posing as Feds to fleece the family. The Kings had given David an autonomy he could exploit. It occurs to the U.S. attorneys that David might not realize it's that conversation that implicated him. Do you have a blog? Contact Information Website www.kings.com Formerly Known As Rochester Seagrams Ownership Status Acquired/Merged In the following weeks, attempting to make restitution to the parties he victimized, he boldly pitches the prosecutors on the idea that he could help sell the properties based on his expertise and knowledge of the market. David offers a broad outline of the Golden 1 and Kaiser Permanente schemes. The Kings have been recognized as one of the top 10 most innovative teams and success in this position is enhanced through the use of premium software such as: Dialpad, Clearslide, OneMob, Salesforce, DialSource, ZoomInfo, and Linked-In Sales Navigator, among others. "I'll go to the FBI. "I'm in really big trouble," Jeff says to Kate's mother, Nancy, and her partner, Rich. The family had spent the weekend at the Ohio State Fair, where two of his three kids won goldfish. According to . Six seasons split between Kansas City and Omaha, and then seven more in just K.C. David left for a brief stint with the NBA league office before returning to Sacramento in 2011 as CRO. Given the team's near departure from Sacramento numerous times over the previous few years -- including the stay of execution that had wrested the team back from Seattle in 2013 -- the Kings saw large-scale sponsorship deals as more than just an opportunity to cash some checks. 1948-49 to 2022-23. As someone who owned rental properties, the table of depreciating items looked familiar in its contents -- furniture, a golf cart -- but the name of the entity in question was odd: Sacramento Sports Partners LLC. Jeff volunteers that Golden 1 and Kaiser Permanente, two major sponsors with the Kings, are partners. "Our money is frozen," Jeff says as Kate listens. Because the advertising had been purchased by Van Wagner on behalf of Peak Sports, there was no suspicion that a check from Peak hadn't turned up in the accounting department. And now, after her husband has confessed to a monstrous fraud, her mother sits beside her and extends an arm, but she is virtually unresponsive. You gotta admire Scot's remarkable humility Whenever we talk about the 2000s Sacramento Kings, a.k.a. "I'll just give the money back," Jeff says. At group dinners and in casual conversations, execs who worked with David try to recall instances that might have marked him as a crook. This agent, John Sommercamp, finds Kate and Jeff in the kitchen, where he tells them they might be the victims of fraud. But it's when Sommercamp asks about how he obtained signatures from his partners in Sacramento that Jeff knows it's time to suspend his cheery front. 2015-16: Golden 1, Kaiser frauds After a few pleasantries, she gets down to business. But it did ultimately prove useful. On Sept. 7, 2018, the Heat dismiss David. "What happened with Golden 1 and Kaiser probably doesn't happen with American Airlines or Bank of America," says a top NBA team executive. A year earlier, Jeff had purchased an $8 million home in Hermosa Beach, 20 miles southwest of Los Angeles. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The amount represented a relatively small sum for a franchise that would generate some $13 million in sponsorship revenue that season. "I can't talk about it, but I'm obsessed. So when they later learned the Kings were actually charging the state half a million dollars a month to rent the arena in addition to utilities and employee salaries, which the state also has to pay "Everyone I talked to just couldn't believe it," Stone said. ", Wegzyn presses on. David also doesn't disclose information about the 2012 instance of fraud until Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Yelovich brings it up. BACK IN COCONUT Grove, in the living room of the house that Jeff and Kate had been renting, Kate lies shivering in a ball on the couch. Copyright 2000-2023 Sports Reference LLC. David contends that from the moment he diverted funds from Golden 1 and Kaiser Permanente, he intended to repay the money. Just zeros. Sommercamp has questions. That is why they made several moves at the trade deadline. Sacramento, California, United States Hand-picked to serve as an executive assistant to the Senior Vice President of Marketing and Chief Technology officer offering administrative leadership. During negotiations, Golden 1 CEO Donna Bland suggested that if the Kings needed more cash up front, Golden 1 could be in a position to accommodate. Reading David's email felt invasive, even if Kings employees, like those at most companies, sign away their privacy to people like her. Confirm that your trade proposal is valid according to the NBA collective bargaining agreement. He was bright and self-motivated, with a keen understanding of the industry -- not a man in need of micromanaging.The NBA on ESPN and the ESPN AppSunday If he had truly wanted to return $4.4 million to the franchise, he would have needed to get creative. It's a schmoozy industry conclave where David had once thrived, and this year he is at the center of attention in absentia. To learn more or opt-out, read our Cookie Policy. David had answered the unsolicited call from Van Wagner, so no one else with the Kings would have had knowledge of the discussion. No alert, no explanation. Dec. 2018: David pleads guilty As Wegzyn navigated a morass of files in David's old directory, she hadn't been able to discern an organized system, so she'd had to open things one by one. Though his wife and in-laws still believe he's a good man, David won't enjoy their devotion in close proximity, except as official visitation rules permit. By choosing I Accept, you consent to our use of cookies and other tracking technologies. In the matter of Kaiser Permanente's $4.4 million, these executives are even more dubious of David's blueprint to make the Kings whole. "I think you're making too much of this," Jeff says. Barnes scores 29 points, Kings beat Thunder for 4th straight Harrison Barnes scored 29 points and the Sacramento Kings beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 123-117 on Tuesday night for their fourth . Confirm that your trade proposal is valid according to the NBA collective bargaining agreement. Knicks-Celtics, 7:30 p.m. A surge of adrenaline jolted through Wegzyn's body. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. "This happened over many, many years.". I'll be up soon.". His life is seemingly picture-perfect. She wanted to move quickly. She tells Jeff she's been going through his old files, and in doing so she found one labeled "TurboTax" that references an entity called Sacramento Sports Partners. According to Marc Stein on The Stein Line, while the Sacramento Kings recently have proclaimed their intent to build around De'Aaron Fox and Tyrese Haliburton, there's a 'sense among some rival executives' that Fox is actually still 'gettable' in trade discussions. 3 min read. What did you do?! "I wouldn't have been contacting you if the deal was covering their costs," Stone said. Jeff explains -- the visit from the FBI earlier in the day, the full breadth of the scam. Team Contact Information. An inquisitive bean counter with the Kings could assume that any new signage in the arena must be part of a larger advertising buy. The family feels that seeing their father in a state of incarceration would be too traumatic for his kids. But the people she heard Jeff speaking with about floorings and fixtures weren't their co-investors -- they were brokers and designers consulting with Jeff about how to improve the homes for maximum return. SACRAMENTO, Calif. A former executive with the Sacramento Kings has been sentenced to seven years in prison for stealing millions of dollars from the NBA team, according to the U.S.. Ap/Jevone Moore Earlier this month, the NBA fined Sacramento Kings assistant general manager Wes Wilcox $15,000 for confronting personnel at the scorer's table. Across the courtroom, the U.S. attorney's team readies itself to argue that Jeff David should serve nine years in federal prison. Deals like this often have "escalators," an excess amount paid each year to account for inflation or increased operating costs -- akin to a cost-of-living adjustment. Watch on ESPN+. Among the weak links, they say, was the Kings' finance department. A few minutes after he hangs up, his mother-in-law, Nancy, is standing at the front door when an FBI investigator appears, asking to speak to Jeff.Editor's PicksInside the NBA's silent tension surrounding Daryl Morey3yKevin ArnovitzFrom the archives: How former ref Tim Donaghy conspired to fix NBA games3yScott Eden1 Related. But he had a desire for more. ESPN Daily Podcast: Inside the great NBA heist. And in more than two dozen interviews, colleagues, friends, neighbors, family, law enforcement and Sacramento businesspeople could offer no explanation as to why he did it. Ja Morant To Be Away From Team For At Least Next Two Games, Ja Morant Releases Statement: 'I'm Going To Take Some Time Away To Get Help' On Well-Being, Jonathan Isaac Out For Season Following Adductor Surgery, The Lottery Pick Gleam Still On Kris Dunn, The 2023 Title Contenders Are Already Here, Six Biggest X-Factors After The All-Star Break, Arizona Online Sports Betting and Promo Codes, Illinois Online Sports Betting and Promo Codes, Kansas Sports Betting Promo Codes & Bonuses, Louisiana Online Sports Betting and Promo Codes, Maryland Sports Betting Promo Codes and Bonuses, BetMGM Sportsbook Massachusetts Promo Code, Caesars Sportsbook Massachusetts Promo Code, Massachusetts Sportsbook Promo Codes & Bonuses, Michigan Sports Betting and Sportsbook Promo Codes, New York Sportsbook Promo Codes and Betting Bonuses, Ohio Sports Betting Promo Codes and Bonuses, Pennsylvania Sports Betting and Sportsbook Bonuses, NFL Odds for the 2022-23 Season: The Best NFL Betting Odds, NFL Prop Bets: Top NFL Player Props for Betting, Super Bowl Odds 2023 - Best Odds To Win Super Bowl 57, Senior Director of Coaching Analytics and Strategy, Senior Vice President of Real Estate Development, Vice President of Experiences and Social Responsibility, Senior Director of Interactive & Fan Experience, Executive Vice President of Business Operations, Senior Director of Corporate Partnerships, Vice President of CRM & Database Strategy, Vice President of Kings Academy and Professional Development, Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach, Senior Director of Athlete Health and Performance. McNair was then promoted to director of basketball operations in 2013, VP of basketball operations in 2016, and assistant GM in 2018. We are not making it all up in our heads, thinking well of Kris Dunn because we want to: he has real talents to bring, and a body that for the time being will allow him to use them. Kaiser agreed, and on Aug. 19, 2015, David invoiced the company on Sacramento Kings letterhead, payable not to the Kings but to his SSP account. 75; Nick Cahill / June 24, 2019. "It's like a money grab.". He joined the Cavaliers in 2003 and held the roles of Advance Scout, College Scout, Pro Personnel Scout and Assistant Coach, prior to his promotion to Director of Player Personnel. . Grapevines and Teslas lined the driveway of Ranadive's 3-acre chateau; his glass-bottom pool was covered with flooring beneath an expansive tent. There have been so many weird things that have happened over the years with this club, which was incredible in . Disgraced former Sacramento Kings executive Jeffrey David has been handed a seven-year jail sentence after being found guilty of stealing $13.4 million USD from the NBA franchise. David is operating under the hope that by cooperating, he can work out a favorable deal. As the Kings' CRO, he had been the architect of multimillion-dollar sponsorship deals that were funneled to an ownership group whose managing partner was worth several hundred million dollars. Former Sacramento Kings executive Jeffrey David submitted a letter seeking leniency last week, ahead of his sentencing in connection with a case where he stole money intended for team. decisions (usually the general manager) are listed. Its likely that a decision like this wont be made during the combine and invitational workouts, so seeing what Kings brass next moves are will be a huge indicator in exactly how they intend on ending the 16-year playoff drought. 60 activities a day, usually cold calls but they allow you to choose what kind of client you reach out to. She'd told the Kings' IT department that she needed access to David's email. The cash went straight to David without the Kings knowing it existed. (These workers are in addition tothe300-400 healthcare professionalsthestatehas hired to work atthefacility.)". "The Greatest Show on Court," none of us would Her bank accounts had been frozen. That August, the Kings also agreed to a 10-year, $28 million sponsorship deal for their new training facility with Oakland-based nonprofit health care provider Kaiser Permanente. One longtime team president finds David's plan unconvincing, noting that while franchises aggregate their market power, they're far more likely to swap data of pricing and then share the contact information for the sponsor. "Jeff David was a lone operator.". The former Kings executive reportedly ran a sophisticated money-laundering scheme. Several of the executives note that it's not unusual for teams and sponsors to explore renegotiating their active agreements, which would require executives on both sides to review the paperwork. A former executive from the NBA's Sacramento Kings has been accused of taking $13.4m from two sponsors, according to The Sacramento Bee. McNair grew up in Oak Park, California, and attended Oak Park High School. Flipping these valuable properties -- funded by his pilfering -- gave him that chance. "It tells a better story.". Very fast paced and high stress environment. "The team almost left the city, and it was the people and companies of Sacramento that kept it there," David says. 1,001-5,000 employees Headquarters Sacramento, CA Type Privately Held Founded 1985 Locations Primary 500 David J Stern Walk Sacramento, CA 95814, US Get directions Employees at Sacramento. [7] Highly regarded executive Daryl Morey (who was the president of basketball operations of the Rockets at this time) said in 2018, "Monte has been absolutely critical to the success of the Rockets over his long tenure.". He was gregarious, fond of "hugging it out," able to laugh at himself when less extroverted spirits made light of that exuberance. One executive in the finance department of an NBA team says, "We invoice everything -- even signed contracts. Jeff assures her they can trash them because the entity isn't around anymore. The Kings, by contrast, are struggling to convince rival teams that . Raptors-Clippers, 10 p.m. His style wasn't for everyone. David's lawyers counter that their client has cooperated fully and presents little risk of recidivism. "Any organization can suffer betrayal by a trusted employee," says Bill Portanova, a former assistant U.S. attorney who was retained by the Kings as an independent investigator. Bringing decades of experience in sports and government law, community affairs and contract negotiations, Kolokotronis' leadership has been integral to the development of the state-of-the-art, Golden 1 Center as well as its adjacent, $500 million mixed-use development project, Downtown Commons. Our intent was, and is, to continue to use our platform for good and to help support our community. One Kings co-worker considered him the sort of oleaginous salesman who'd go into business with anyone. She was leaving town in less than 48 hours to drop her daughter off at college in the Pacific Northwest, and she desperately wanted some clarity. Unlike Golden 1's advance of $9 million, which produced annual shortfalls later in the deal, Kaiser Permanente's $4.4 upfront payment created no missing money. Still, to Nancy and Rich, he seems oblivious to the depth of his crime. David, 44, siphoned $9 million from the Golden 1 Credit Union and $4.4 million from Kaiser Permanente. This is the first moment when Kate, remarkably stoic throughout the 90-minute sentencing, visibly cries. The cash used in the purchases was almost entirely the millions sent to Jeff by Golden 1 and Kaiser Permanente. On Thursday, when the Kings were mining their network for additional evidence, a folder named "660" was uncovered -- 660 J Street was a temporary home of the team's business operations during construction of the new arena. "We went back to bed at 4 in the morning, and I said, 'I don't think he really gets it,'" Rich says nearly a year later. Nearby, a shrine commemorated Ranadive's meetings with global celebrities. I'll give it back, and when I do, it'll be OK.". Description Operator of a professional basketball team. . However, CBS13 also asked how the Kings planned to use the money it is making on the arena during the pandemic. she screams at Jeff, who seems oddly sanguine for a man who suddenly doesn't have the liquidity to order takeout. Suns-Mavericks, 1 p.m. (ABC) A former top Sacramento Kings executive was sentenced Monday to seven years in prison for siphoning $13.4 million from the team. She discovered that David had applied for mortgages and included a bank statement to a lender that showed a $4.4 million deposit from Kaiser Permanente. He has six months before returning to Sacramento for sentencing. "The monthly lease amount for Sleep Train Arena (including 4,000 parking spaces) is a discounted rate. The NBA announced on Thursday that it's fining the Kings $50,000 . 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Jeffrey David pleaded guilty earlier this year to . Less than four years after siphoning off $30,000 in courtside signage, David had now stolen $13.4 million from the Kings and their top corporate partners. 2016: Purchases beach homes May 7, 2020 / 10:58 PM Jeff sits on the bed next to his wife and places his hand on her knee. [11], In October 2020, McNair hired three employees to his front office: former Hawks GM Wes Wilcox as assistant GM, former 76ers director of scouting Phil Jabour as VP of player personnel, and OKC Blue assistant GM Paul Johnson as director of basketball operations. One week after her first foray into David's underworld, Wegzyn had struck the mother lode. Partners in the Kings' ownership group arrived to games via private jet from one of their multiple homes, while others showed up in limousines or $100,000 sports cars. The agent gets more specific, probing the mechanics of Sacramento Sports Partners' formation. This meant that one of his three kids was deprived of the innocent pleasure of toting home and choosing a name for this shiny, breathing doubloon swimming around in a plastic bag. FIFTEEN DAYS BEFORE David begins serving his sentence, a pressing matter lands on his docket. In scouring David's correspondences, it appeared as if he'd been working to sell one of the properties. In his five years in Houston, he served in a variety of scouting roles including Director of Scouting with NBA G Leagues Rio Grande Valley Vipers (2009-11). The team's star, DeMarcus Cousins, earned $17 million. The organization points to its "In This Together" initiative. Stacy and Mark bid schmaltzy parental farewells to their daughter, whom they settled at school, then reversed course back to Sacramento. A spokesperson previously noted that the half-million-dollar rent at the arena works out to $41 per bed, per night for 400 beds. The Kings, in possession of the original contract, never saw the altered version. I am excited to have Wes, Phil and Paul join the front office, said McNair. Select the third team from the drop down menu. For several more hours, Rich tries to pierce Jeff's logic, while Nancy reassures the family that Jeff is redeemable. Nancy speaks with a measured empathy about a man whose adult life she admires. "I lost a job and a career I loved and excelled in. Then Sacramento's vice president of corporate partnerships, David feared he'd have to make ends meet as a private sports marketing consultant. Blake knew that Quick's contract, the huge 10-year deal he signed after winning the Conn Smythe Trophy in 2012, didn't have a no-trade clause in it. The previous June, he had purchased a $3.8 million home just blocks from the Pacific Ocean in Manhattan Beach. Also, she wondered, why would a business whose name suggests it's an arm of the Kings write off a golf cart at a beach house near Los Angeles? If you are having difficulty accessing any content on this website, please visit our Accessibility page. All logos are the trademark & property of their owners and not Sports Reference LLC. I have to stay with this. What Wegzyn didn't yet have were whatever contracts David had drawn up to lure Golden 1 and Kaiser Permanente into his scheme. But the forfeiture team has arranged to sell far more complex assets than beach homes. Her name is Stacy Wegzyn, and she works in HR. Jabour comes to Sacramentos front office with 14 years of experience in the league, most recently serving as Director of Scouting for the Philadelphia 76ers where he was heavily involved in day-to-day personnel operations, including talent evaluation, leading intel processes and collaborating with player agents. January 24, 2022 12:01am A Sacramento Kings executive was fined by the NBA for in-game actions, raising a complicated legal question. To believe that any of 2023's neo-contenders can become bonafide champs over the next few months is to believe that a once-in-a-quarter-century occurrence is about to transpire. What if I'm wrong? Three takeaways from Kings 123-117 win against Thunder, Three takeaways from Kings 124-115 win over Oklahoma City Thunder, Kings waive KZ Okpala, sign PJ Dozier for the rest of the season, 5 takeaways from the Kings beating the Clippers in the second-highest scoring NBA game ever, 3 takeaways from Sacramentos 133-116 win over the Portland Trail Blazers. Former Sacramento Kings executive Greg Van . Select the fourth team from the drop down menu. David breaks down during the testimonial from his mother-in-law, removing his glasses and burying his head in his hands. What he then did with that money proved far more problematic. BACK AT THE rental house in Coconut Grove hours later, Kate logs on to her personal banking app to discover a balance of $0.00. His first opportunity came that year when Van Wagner, a New York-based sports marketing firm, placed a routine call to David. IT WAS ONLY one document -- one ordinary little document -- that Stacy Wegzyn had needed from Jeff David. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. "[10], The Kings also interviewed Sachin Gupta (Timberwolves' EVP of basketball operations), Wes Wilcox (Hawks' former GM), and Calvin Booth (GM of the Nuggets) for the position. Select the first team from the drop down menu. Account Executive (Former Employee) - Sacramento, CA - October 2, 2017 Indeed Featured review Great place to work if you truly enjoy meeting new people and building relationships!