# Ex-Friar Douthit accused in embezzlement scam



## Sean (Jun 7, 2002)

PROVIDENCE -- Former Providence College basketball player and NBA draft pick Marcus Douthit was charged today with taking part in a wide-ranging identity theft and embezzlement scam.

As part of a 125-count indictment unsealed by a statewide grand jury, Marcus Douthit is accused of participating in a phony accident as part of a scheme to obtain money from insurance companies.

The allegedly staged accidents were slip-and-fall incidents or car crashes, said the state attorney general office's spokesman, Michael Healey.

Healey said Douthit is accused of faking a car accident and filing a fraudulent insurance claim for which he was reimbursed.

The indictment alleges that he was paid $6,500 from money obtained from the false claim in December 2001 and deposited that money into a Providence bank account.

Douthit, a 24-year-old who plays center, was drafted in the second round this summer by the Los Angeles Lakers.

A Providence Journal report on Tuesday said he was on the verge of being offered a guaranteed contract with the team after playing well in a summer league. He averages nearly 8 points and 6 rebounds per game last season.

Healey said prosecutors had left messages with Douthit's agent urging the player to turn himself in. His address was listed by the attorney general's office as 151 Johnson St.

Douthit is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit embezzlement and one count of embezzlement more than $100. He faces a maximum of 30 years in prison on the charges, Healey said.

Providence College spokeswoman Pat Vieira said school officials could not comment because they hadn't seen the indictment in full.

"It all came as a complete surprise to us," Vieira said.

Six others have been charged in the alleged scheme. Prosecutors accuse the alleged masterminds, James Cook and Kristen Cook (no relation), of using the staged phony accidents to file false claims and obtain settlements with insurance adjustors.

Douthit allegedly filed a claim through James Cook, Healey said.

James Cook, 41, of 353 Chatham Circle, Warwick, worked for an insurance adjustor, while Kristen Cook, 35, 3 Hutchins Court, East Greenwich, is accused of stealing Social Security numbers to use for false identities while working as a paralegal in the Providence city solicitor's office, Healey said.

Cook is a licensed attorney in Massachusetts who maintains a private practice and until recently was employed as an insurance adjuster for a third-party administrator, the press release from Healey said.

Kristen Cook is currently unemployed but was working as a paralegal in the Law Department for the City of Providence until April 1, when Warwick and Providence Police seized the computer she had been assigned to use at the city solicitor's office.

http://www.projo.com/digitalbulletin/content/projo-20040729-douthit.2623b733.html


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## HKF (Dec 10, 2002)

Oh boy. :| :no:


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## Damian Necronamous (Jun 10, 2002)

:laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

I guess Cook will do...:laugh:


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## City_Dawg (Jul 25, 2004)

What a joke...

Give us back our money and get the hell out Douhit,dou-hickie, whatever the heck you name is...got enough legal nonsense with this team

...geez


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## jazzy1 (Jul 16, 2002)

> Originally posted by <b>Damian Necronamous</b>!
> :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
> 
> I guess Cook will do...:laugh:


This comment is hilarious as are these charges. With all the stuff athletes do to get in trouble this guy gets caught with some white collar scamming. I'm expecting rape, assault ,drugs and this fool is scamming insurance comapanies. 

I'm falling out my chair laughing.


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## Damian Necronamous (Jun 10, 2002)

> Originally posted by <b>City_Dawg</b>!
> What a joke...
> 
> Give us back our money and get the hell out Douhit,dou-hickie, whatever the heck you name is...got enough legal nonsense with this team
> ...


Well, we can't just automatically assume that he did this. We are assuming that Kobe is innocent, but that Douthit is guilty? Come on now.

I was joking, but let's not burst out with anger, it would be very contradicting.


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## Locke (Jun 16, 2003)

> Originally posted by <b>Damian Necronamous</b>!
> 
> 
> Well, we can't just automatically assume that he did this. We are assuming that Kobe is innocent, but that Douthit is guilty? Come on now.
> ...


:nonono: Just what we needed; more drama. I wonder if this will have any effect on whether or not he signs with the Lakers.


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## City_Dawg (Jul 25, 2004)

> Originally posted by <b>Damian Necronamous</b>!
> 
> 
> Well, we can't just automatically assume that he did this. We are assuming that Kobe is innocent, but that Douthit is guilty? Come on now.
> ...


all right, so i overracted way too soon

but still ya know...


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## Brian34Cook (Mar 26, 2003)

I'm stunned


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## JYD (Sep 3, 2002)

That sucks. Marcus you idiot. Does anybody know when he did this, mabeye it was a couple years ago and he's just now getting caught. Oh Well, he wouldn't have been an impact player anyway.


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## historyofthegame (Jan 30, 2004)

I guess even Marcus thought he wasn't going to make the NBA. Atleast he's qualified to play in the NBA considering he's a felon now.


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## Wilt_The_Stilt (Jun 7, 2002)

Now I see why they call him Slink.


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## Laker Freak (Jul 1, 2003)

30 years is a long time for $6500.


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## Hibachi! (Sep 18, 2003)

> Originally posted by <b>Laker Freak</b>!
> 30 years is a long time for $6500.


Lol, well it's probably just because it's the law that anything over 100$ puts you in an upper tier crime, and the max of that upper tier crime is 30 years. Obviously they will take into account as to how much it was, and punish him appropriately...


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## Sean (Jun 7, 2002)

"The chances of Marcus Douthit ever playing for the Lakers diminished after he was charged Thursday with taking part in a wide-ranging identity theft and embezzlement scam. Douthit was not likely to make the Lakers' roster anyway. As their second-round pick in June, he was not guaranteed a contract. Now Douthit has the baggage of a 125-count indictment that accuses him of participating in a phony car accident as part of a scheme to obtain money from insurance companies, a spokesman for the Rhode Island attorney general's office told The Associated Press." - Orange County Register
http://www.ocregister.com/ocr/2004/07/30/sections/sports/pro/article_185372.php


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## Sánchez AF (Aug 10, 2003)

Two Lakers could be in jail next yr


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## Lynx (Mar 6, 2004)

What now?  another Laker with felony charged. :upset:


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## Sean (Jun 7, 2002)

Hacksaw is reporting that Douthit's attorney is denying all of the charges and mentioned something about Douthit's roommates used Douthit's info. 

I can't find any web links to support it yet.:whoknows:


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