Ex-NBA player Chris Gatling arrested on suspicion of fraud

New Jersey Nets forward Chris Gatling, left, tries to drive past Orlando Magic center Dan Schayes during a game in April 1998.

May 30, 2015 2:03 PM PT

Former NBA player Chris Gatling was arrested in Arizona on Thursday on suspicion of running a nationwide online scam.

Scottsdale, Ariz., police confirmed the arrest to the Associated Press and said Gatling was released a short time after he was booked. Gatling, who last played in the NBA in 2002, faces charges of fraud, aggravated identity theft and forgery.

Police allege Gatling was operating a scheme that involved multiple online businesses being used to gather credit card numbers. Gatling then allegedly ran the numbers through other businesses for services never authorized by the cardholders. Police claim the operation was being run out of a Scottsdale call center, and it included stolen credit card numbers from people across the U.S.

Police allege Gatling defrauded $90,000 from the owner of a Scottsdale fitness studio. According to police, Gatling met the victim via a dating website earlier this year and told her he operated Internet businesses that created websites for fixed credit. He convinced her to charge credit card numbers for him via her business, telling her she could have 10% of the dollar amounts charged. In addition, she gave him his share from the charges in cash upfront, police said.

The unauthorized charges were eventually charged back to the victim, which forced her to close her studio, police said.

Gatling, who is serving a four-year probation sentence stemming from a conviction in a 2013 theft and forgery case, was arrested during a meeting with his probation officer, police said. Police also arrested the general manager of his business.

Gatling’s arrest was first reported by TMZ.

Gatling, 47, played with eight teams over 11 seasons in the NBA. He played for Golden State, Miami, Dallas, New Jersey, Milwaukee, New Orleans, Denver and Cleveland and was an All-Star in 1997.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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