Brittish Williams: Out of Bounds | 198

Sarah, do you know what I've been thinking? We watch so many reality shows, and we watch a lot of Real Housewives. But even on that franchise, there are a ton of single women. Like, it's not actually about women and their husbands across the board. Yeah, you know, it is very true. And if they start out being with someone or being married and having kids, within a few seasons, they're divorced. Yeah. They never stay married or in a partnership. Yeah, that's always the ugliest part of a reality show to me. It's following women who have tied themselves to losers. It definitely has taught me a lot. Well, today we have another reality TV scammer for you. Someone who wanted a better life for herself and her daughter, but instead ended up repeating the same old patterns again and again. It's October 2021. and a group of black town cars are waiting to take a group of glamorous women on a girl's trip to Palm Springs. The women are all stars of the VH1 reality show Basketball Wives. But one of their co-stars is missing, British Williams. British is 31 with long black hair and a short, curvy figure. But her small stature doesn't mean she's a shrinking violet. She's usually pretty ready to spar. The women look around at each other, confused. No one seems to know what's going on, except for Brooke Bailey, a longtime cast member and British's best friend. Brooke has long black hair and a big, beautiful smile that lights up every room. But today, she's not smiling. She delivers the shocking news. British was arrested last night. She had to go and turn herself in. Is she even in L.A. or is she still in St. Louis? No, she had to go to L.A. So she's in jail still? I know those producers are like, Ugh, why couldn't we get it happening on camera? Yeah, this is the next best thing. Well, Brooke seems like she's still in shock. British has been her rock this whole season and a voice of reason amongst their group. But now, instead of lounging by pools and palm trees, British will be in a jail cell in St. Louis. It's hard to make sense of it all. But what British and the other women don't know yet is just how deep this goes. British has been indicted on felony charges of fraud, identity theft, and lying to the IRS. And soon, the tabloids start running stories with salacious headlines like, From Ballin' to Ballin' Basketball Players X Indicted by the Feds. And to clarify, that's Ballin' as in basketball, and then Ballin' as in crying. It's a brutal turn. Because before this, things were finally looking up for British. After a rocky first season on Basketball Wives and a brief hiatus from the show, she was finally back. But now, everything she's worked for is in limbo. And no amount of hoop dreams can save her from what's coming next. From Wondery, I'm Saatchi Cole. And I'm Sarah Hagee. And this is Scamfluencers. For the uninitiated, Basketball Wives is a long-running VH1 reality series following the wives, girlfriends, and exes of professional basketball players. Since 2010, these women have put their lives on full display. It's a messy, fun, undeniably popular show. Its 12th season aired last summer. When British Williams first joined the cast, she was an instant hit. Her relationship with her long-term partner, Lorenzo Gordon, and her determination to rise above a troubled childhood resonated with viewers. Her blunt takes and brash attitude made her a fan favorite and occasionally a lightning rod. She even got temporarily kicked off the show. And when she returned, 11 years later, she brought a new kind of drama. She was arrested for felony fraud and her legal woes took center stage, becoming the kind of real-life drama that reality TV producers could only dream of. This is British Williams Out of Bounds. It's the early 2010s, and British Williams is a junior at St. Louis University. That is, until she gets a call from the school's admissions office about her student loans. What they say makes her stomach drop. According to British, they tell her that they know she applied for a loan without her mother's knowledge. And because of this, her loans are no longer valid. When she hangs up, British is beside herself. She's already completed two years of college, and now everything's crashing to a halt. Of course, British knows that what she did is wrong, but it also seems like a bit of a gray area. She filled the forms out online, so she never actually signed her mom's signature. Sure, we'll call that a gray area. I think it's pretty obvious it's not right. Yes, that's true. But this isn't the first time that something related to British's mom has caused issues. Growing up, their relationship was rocky. Until she was about nine years old, British and her sister lived with their grandmother and great aunt. Their dad was in the picture, but according to British, their mom wasn't around consistently. British says her mom was struggling with issues that kept her in and out of their lives. We reached out to Latricia for comment, but did not hear back. At 12, British and her sister move in with their dad and stepmom, who British genuinely likes. Now, she and her sister have more stability and a family she can count on. But her early feelings of abandonment left a void that nothing seems to fill. Yeah, I feel like this is such a common story for scammers, where there just isn't any stability and support at home, even if it's a temporary amount of time. They're kind of like, well, it's just myself. Yeah, I mean, having to look out for yourself from such an early age seems to give some people, you know, shall we say, an entrepreneurial spirit. And that's what it does for British, whose hardships taught her how to hustle. She works hard in school, and when it's time for college, her aunt helps her apply for student loans. British enrolls at the University of St. Louis, where she eventually majors in communication and journalism. She likes school, but when it comes time to reapply for student loans, her aunt is gravely ill with pancreatic cancer. British doesn't want to bother her, so she decides to use her mom's information in order to get her loan approved. Her mom doesn't have any income, so British thinks her application will go through easily. But when the school finds out her mother had no knowledge of this, British says they canceled her loans. It's a crushing blow, but British is determined to come out on top. She believes she's destined for big things, and soon she'll meet a man who will open a door to a whole new world and turn her life completely upside down. It's 2011 in St. Louis. British is hanging out in a White Castle parking lot at around 2 in the morning when a Range Rover pulls up. British is now 22, and she hasn't been back to school since losing her loans. She still intends to finish, but she hasn't taken any steps to make that happen. But right now, college is the last thing on her mind. Instead, she's focused on the man getting out of the expensive car in front of her. He's 6'7", with warm brown eyes and round cheeks. And if British wasn't already smitten, she must be completely head over heels when she learns he's Lorenzo Gordon, a professional basketball player. Wow, this is straight out of a movie. Cute girl, a guy comes out of a car, basketball player. And she's like, me? Why am I just British? Yeah, this is a Disney Channel movie waiting to happen. This is a fantasy. It's a fantasy. Yeah, it's everybody. And I've certainly thought about it like this. That's what I hope would happen when I moved to New York. Everybody would be a basketball player that hit on me. Well, Lorenzo is currently playing abroad in Russia. And as the two grow closer, he asks British to join him there. But British makes it clear that she's serious about finishing school. So Lorenzo makes her a promise. If she joins him overseas, he'll pay for college when they return. It's an offer she can't pass up. So British accepts and joins Lorenzo in Russia for nine cold months. Life overseas opens up British's world. She's seeing new places, meeting new people, and soaking in cultures she never dreamed she'd get to experience. And Lorenzo is showing her the good life. He's taking her on trips and buying her fancy purses and shoes. I mean, surely this can't go wrong. knows just stay amazing forever, right? I mean, student loans and shoes, what else is there? Yes. Dating a basketball player has unlocked tons of new opportunities for British. Things bigger than a normal nine to five. So when one of the stars of Basketball Wives comes to St. Louis for an event, British sees more than just a celebrity appearance. She sees a sign, a chance to do more. And she's ready to seize this opportunity and change the trajectory of her life towards reality TV. It's around 2012, and Jackie Christie is pulling up to an event at a nightclub in St. Louis. She's 43, with long, dark brown hair, and eyes that scream, don't mess with me. By this point, Basketball Wives has been on for two seasons, and it's been so successful for VH1 that they've created the spinoff, Basketball Wives LA. This is the show that Jackie is currently on. We don't know the exact details of this event in St. Louis, but we do know that British makes it her business to be there. I like to imagine British making a beeline to introduce herself and Jackie feeling flattered by this excited newcomer. Sarah, what do you know about Jackie? You know, I've actually never seen the show, but I do know based on like, you know, culture, that she's kind of the queen bee of Basketball Wives, right? Yeah, I mean, if Jackie had it her way, the show would probably be called Jackie's Basketball Wives. She treats the show like her personal empire, and all the women on it are just her court. At this point, there's never been a basketball wife whose boyfriend was playing overseas. But the two hit it off, and Jackie agrees that British is definitely Basketball Wives material. So she connects British with their producers, and after a few Skype interviews, British is picked to become the newest cast member on Basketball Wives LA. In 2014, British's first episode airs. In her first on-camera scene, 24-year-old British has lunch with Jackie at a restaurant, and Jackie immediately wants the scoop on British's love life. British recently got engaged to Lorenzo, and Jackie can't wait to hear the proposal story. British tells her it wasn't exactly a fairytale moment. Lorenzo didn't give a sweeping speech. Instead, he looked at her and said, you know you want to marry me. British responded by saying she didn't even like him, before quickly screaming, yes. It may not have been cinematic, but British seems genuinely excited for their future together. Jackie has been married for almost two decades, so she soaks this all up. But then, British mentions that her relationship isn perfect Lorenzo hasn always been faithful British just shrugs it off and says it only a problem if she finds out But Jackie is speechless She has a rock marriage, and cheating is a hard no. But British thinks Jackie's being unrealistic. She tells Jackie that she thinks all men cheat. I do think that women who are with professional athletes are kind of like the wives and the Sopranos, where they know that their partners are going to cheat because that's what athletes do. Yeah. And it's just kind of like a, hey, just make sure I don't know about it and no one else talks about it. So in a way, it sounds like British is being pretty honest about how most of these women are living their lives. Yeah, she's realistic and she has a really high tolerance for drama. And Jackie must be feeling pretty good about recommending British for the show. She seems to be fitting in nicely. That is, until British goes after their fellow castmate, Drea Michelle. Drea's not just a basketball wife. She's got long black hair and an hourglass figure. And she's also a model, fashion designer, and breakout star. The cast is having drinks, trying to get to know one another, when the topic of one of Drea's exes comes up. And British asks Drea if she's a hoe. the women freeze and Jackie looks pissed just because Drea has had a string of failed relationships doesn't mean she deserves to be called a hoe Jackie can't tell if British is trying to find her footing on the show or if this is just an attention grab but either way from that point on Drea and British are enemies when you join a cast full of strong personalities there are some unwritten rules and British has just broken one of the biggest ones Don't go after someone who has a larger following than you. I agree, but that's only for people who aren't supposed to be the crazy person on the show. Like if she's going in thinking like, I want to be the one everyone remembers is really crazy and stupid, then she's doing an amazing job. Well, I don't know if British is crazy, but she is very clever and very scary. Because in May 2014, she takes their feud even further. She discovers that Drea never copyrighted her swimsuit company, Mint Swim. So British decides to copyright it herself. Basketball Wives is a show full of drama, but British has really crossed a line here. And Jackie is starting to realize that British isn't just giving on camera shade. she's becoming a real-life op. When Drea finds out about the copyright, she is furious. And she allegedly tells producers that she won't film with British and pressures other cast members to do the same. And this works. The producers don't invite British back for the next season. But British isn't ready to go softly into that night. As she looks for her next opportunity, the pressure starts stacking up fast. And soon, her choices will test her limits and her judgment. It's 2015, and British has hunched over her laptop, scrolling through the latest designs for her online boutique, House of Labels. The boutique's website is full of cheap, trendy clothes, along with everything else a girl could want, from accessories to hair products, brushes, and even lip gloss. Sarah, please, could you describe this website for me? I mean, it's hard to explain. It's really ugly. Yeah. Even by 2015 standards, it's just kind of like, what the hell? Yeah. It's pink and white and it's just an ugly website. It just looks like dropshipping, like sheen clothes. Yeah. I was literally going to say that. It looks like dropshipping clothing, like a weird busted Pinterest board. It looks like a scam. Yeah, it's a lot of Chevron. Well, British hasn't exactly been doing right by her customers either. Over the past three years, 180 complaints have been filed against the House of Labels, and the Better Business Bureau has given it an F for not fulfilling orders or refunding customers. One customer from Chicago said she'd never recommend the company to anyone. Another says that after paying for three pieces of clothing she never received, she finally got in touch with British, who was, quote, extremely rude, extremely short. oh wow that's awesome i'm gonna say that to my many short friends you could say to me are you short i'm shorter than you yes we go over this every couple of months oh my god every few months i think you're 5'4 and you think i'm 5'11 and we realize it's like kind of the opposite no i literally thought you were like 5'8 i'm super not well in that case you're extremely rude and extremely short. Thank you. Put it on my gravestone. Well, it seems like British is spinning out. Instead of focusing on her business, she's gambling heavily and losing. At one point, it gets so bad that she and Lorenzo almost lose her house. Here she is talking about it on the Reality with the King podcast. I don't think there's anything worse than gambling because you have this thing where you think that you can constantly make this money or you think you could take this money and make it into this and making it to this and making it to this and making it to this. I remember being just at Christmas one year and losing almost $50,000 like in two days. It was horrible. British is determined to get back on track. And in 2016, she bans herself from visiting casinos. But even as she tries to regain control, she's already looking for her next opportunity to be in the spotlight. She's not done with reality TV yet. And when another show comes calling, British is ready to answer. In June 2016, British and Lorenzo make their debut on a different reality show, Marriage Boot Camp. At this point, they've been engaged for two years, but they've yet to get married because Lorenzo keeps cheating. Remember when British said that cheating was only a problem if she found out about it? Well, she finds out over and over and over again. On Marriage Boot Camp, couples live together in a mansion and participate in intense couples' therapy exercises. At the end of their time on the show, they decide whether to stay together or split up. And with tensions rising between British and Lorenzo, free therapy mixed with a little publicity seems like it can't hurt. But the show is no joke. The therapy exercises are serious, and couples are expected to dig deep and open up. At one point, the cast is interviewed by Montal Williams in front of a live studio audience. And during this interview, no subject is off limits. British tells Montal how deeply Lorenzo's cheating has hurt her. And Lorenzo, well, he basically admits that he just can't help himself. Hear Lorenzo and British on the show. When she doesn't give me attention or listens to me, I go out looking for attention. It's been so many lies. It's just constant bulls**t all the time. I mean, it's weird. It's like he doesn't even know he sounds like a child and that is his mom. Yeah. These shows always make me crack up because it's like, I think you're going to make things worse by doing this on TV. I think you're not going to make things better. But you know what? There are two crazy people in love. I mean, there's a real VH1 to divorce pipeline. Well, cheating isn't their only issue. British has a temper. And when she gets mad, she gets loud, and sometimes even violent. Lorenzo says that one time, she tried to run him over with her car. And later, while filming, British gets so mad at Lorenzo that she throws an entire jug of juice at him. Lorenzo shuts down in these moments. He later shares that his stepfather was sometimes violent, and British's outbursts take him right back to that volatile time. British opens up as well, and admits that her anger also comes from a deep place of pain. On the show, she talks about a huge fight she had with her mom back in the sixth grade. Now she promised herself that no one would hurt her ever again. So she learned to strike first. You can examine why anyone's violent or abusive or whatever, and I'm sure there are so many true reasons why someone responds to life the way they do. But at this point, I'm like, okay, but you know that doesn't make it okay, right? Yeah, yeah. A reason is not a justification. Well, despite everything, they decide to stay together at the end of their rocky season. British says that she'll work on her anger, and Lorenzo promises to be better about his wandering eye. But it doesn't take long for both of them to break their promises. To make matters more stressful, eight months later, Lorenzo retires from professional basketball. Since he won't be bringing in the big bucks, he and British won't be able to keep up their expensive lifestyle. And with all of British's gambling and business mistakes, her credit has taken a big hit. So she found a workaround and bought a CPN. CPN stands for Credit Privacy Number, and it's a nine-digit number that some people use to build a new credit profile. But it's not exactly legit. CPNs are either fake social security numbers or they're stolen ones. British says that she saw people using CPNs when she was growing up, so she thought it was okay. With her new CPN, British opens up bank accounts and lines of credit. Then she deposits thousands of dollars worth of checks taken from other people without their knowledge and withdraws the funds. By the time the banks discover the fraud and try to reclaim the money, it's already gone, forcing the banks to absorb the losses. And Sarah, if you're wondering what Lorenzo's up to at this point, that makes two of us. We don't know how much Lorenzo knew about British's bank behavior at this point, but it would have been hard to miss the influx of cash. And to add even more stress to the mix, British is pregnant. You know, I wonder if British is a bit of an optimist and thinks the baby will fix things and maybe we can start fresh again. I don't know. I think that's kind of the mentality people have when maybe they carry pregnancies at the worst possible time. Well, babies fix everything, Sarah. I don't know if you knew that, but they definitely fix everything. I know that. That's why I need a baby yesterday. Correct. Exactly. Well, on May 13th, 2018, British and Lorenzo welcome their new baby girl, Dash Dior Gordon. And British is thrilled. She wants to give this baby everything she never had. British thinks she has everything under control. But as she focuses on motherhood, the IRS is quietly watching her. And they are closing in. I feel like a legend. It's early 2019, and British is on the phone with a potential new client. As a new mother, she's found a fresh outlet for her entrepreneurial energy, a coaching business advising fledgling business owners. So when a woman calls her looking for advice, British doesn't think twice about it. The caller seems eager to chat, so British opens up about everything. Unfortunately what she doesn know is that this woman doesn really need advice She actually an IRS agent and this call is part of an undercover operation On the call British brags that she making up to a month. But if this is true, she definitely hasn't been reporting it on her tax returns. She also gives out sketchy tax advice, telling the woman that having a, quote, good accountant, can help you pay way less in taxes. British also claims that new business owners don't even need to pay taxes for the first two or three years because they can claim their business is losing money. Again, she is saying all of this to an IRS agent. You know, I don't blame her for answering this person honestly. Like, in the time we've been doing the show, I don't think we've ever heard of an IRS agent going undercover to target someone that isn't really that high up anywhere. Why would she ever think this is an IRS agent? Yeah, I wouldn't expect it either. And while her coaching business simmers in the background, British is also dealing with some personal drama that is a lot more public. She and Lorenzo finally decide to break up. She's had enough of his cheating and posts on Instagram that she's done. She says, quote, Go disappoint the next bitch. I'm busy. Okay, that's a pretty good line. I think I've used it. But British doesn't have much time to mourn, because a few months later, in September 2019, she hears a knock on her door. And when she opens it, she finds two federal agents dressed in suits. And they want to talk. The conversation is tense. They ask her about using stolen social security numbers and cashing fraudulent checks. British answers their questions to the best of her ability. And then, almost as soon as it began, it's over. British walks the agents out and closes the door. But even that rush with the law isn't enough to scare British straight. Between 2020 and 2021, British files nine fake applications for COVID disaster loans through the CARES Act program. She also applies for fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program loans on behalf of her boutiques. Sarah, do you remember when tons of people were applying for these loans during the pandemic? Oh yeah, the loans that they never had to pay back because they were businesses and not people. Yes, those ones. Well, those programs were designed to help business owners who were struggling financially through COVID. But none of British's boutiques were negatively affected. So she essentially steals nearly $200,000 from the government. Whether it's due to her addictive personality or just wanting to keep up with the lifestyle she used to have, it's clear British likes the finer things in life. And even though she's not technically gambling anymore, it sure feels like she's taking unnecessary risks in hopes of a big payoff. And things continue to get heated between British and Lorenzo. After Lorenzo allegedly shares what are rumored to be explicit videos of her, British calls him out on Instagram. And Sarah, she's livid. Public service announcement. My baby daddy is a d***. Let's make that very f***ing clear. I do not talk to you. I do not bother you. I changed my number almost two months ago. You can't even f***ing contact me. What the f*** are we talking about? You don't get your f***ing child. You don't take care of her. You don't send no money. You don't do s***. You don't do s*** as a f***ing man, period, because I don't want to f*** with you. I mean, this is intense and makes total sense. This is an apt reaction to revenge porn. Yeah, yeah. I actually think it's pretty calm, all things considered. But on top of all of this, Lorenzo is also committing fraud. He files multiple fraudulent COVID relief loans totaling over $270,000. Things are messy in British's world, and they're about to get even messier. Right in the middle of all of this, she gets an unexpected call. Basketball Wives wants her to return. She's thrilled. The show will put her back in the public eye and give her a nice paycheck. But her actions are already putting her second chance at a first impression in jeopardy. It's around the fall of 2021, and British is cooking chicken in her new apartment in Los Angeles when the door opens. It's her mother, Latricia, who walks in with British's daughter, Dash, now around three years old. While we don't know how or when British and Latricia reconciled, British is grateful to have her mom's help with Dash. She had to move to L.A. for the show, and now that she and Lorenzo have broken up for good, they're struggling to co-parent between St. Louis and Los Angeles. British is filming for the 10th season of Basketball Wives, and she's using her screen time to show off her new ventures. She still owns the House of Labels, but she's also branching out. Her latest business is House of Hair, which sells hair extensions. On camera, British appears happy and grounded. But behind the scenes, she's still bending the rules. Apparently, the production company paid British well enough that she should have been able to cover the rent on her L.A. apartment. But she still applied for COVID rent relief and then kept the extra money instead of using it to pay her landlord. You know what? Why not? COVID relief people were getting it for no reason. And yeah, I mean, it's not that different from what a lot of people were doing with these loans. No. But she should have paid her rent. Yeah. Yeah. Like do the scam, but then like pay the rent. Yeah, totally. Well, at this point, British is also leasing a 2021 Mercedes, and she's really eager to show it off to the world. Sarah, let's watch this TikTok that British posted. And can you describe what is happening here? Yes. It's like a guy filming her and she's like, oh my God, I'm so happy. Thank you. And there's a big bow on the Mercedes. It's obvious she's telling people that she got it for free or was gifted, you know. Influencers do that all the time where they pretend they got something for free that's really expensive that they didn't get for free because it makes them look like they're receiving big ticket items for their influence. Right. But here's the really nuts part. Even after posting this video and several other pictures of herself with the car on Instagram, British attempts to report the lease as fraud and identity theft to the major credit bureaus. This is an audacious and reckless move because while she pretends to have it all, her house of cards is about to come crashing down. It's a cool evening in September 2021 as a black Chevy Suburban pulls into a Los Angeles parking lot. It's a night before Brooke Bailey and the other basketball wives took their trip to Palm Springs. British rolls down the passenger window to talk to Marcus, one of the executive producers of Basketball Wives, and she drops a bombshell. She tells him she received a text that morning from her lawyer telling her that she's been federally indicted. She's been hit with 18 charges, including identity theft, bank fraud, lying to the IRS, and misusing Social Security numbers. There's also a warrant out for her arrest. Marcus looks at her, pauses, and just says, damn, British. British nods. She's holding herself together, but she knows this is all very serious. And instead of going on the girls' trip, she'll be surrendering herself to the authorities in St. Louis. Right, so that's where we started this. Her surrendering herself and the girls finding out. Yes, exactly. And a few days later, she does finally join the girls in Palm Springs. They're having breakfast at Margaritaville. And when she walks in, the girls all gather around her, cheering and offering their support. British is emotional as she tells them about what she's been through. I'm like, what? I'm facing federal charges for fraud and theft. I had to turn myself in and sit in federal holdover for 24 hours. I had so many things going through my head. I don't wish jail in my worst enemy. You'll never understand what it's like until you hear. Clink, clink. Those like, you can't get out. Reality TV stars go to prison all the time, as we know. I feel like it's just such a surreal experience for anyone. And then being a television, like on a TV show, you know what I mean? It's just, how else could she describe it? Yeah, unbelievable until you're forced to believe it. Well, as the ladies talk, British breaks down. She tells them that as soon as Lorenzo heard about her indictment, he told her mother he was going to take full custody of Dash, which is a bold move, considering that he is also committing fraud. British feels betrayed, and she swears she'll never speak to Lorenzo again. She knows she's fighting an uphill battle, and that she should listen to her lawyer and follow the rules. But it also seems like British does whatever British wants. Maybe she thinks she's untouchable. But Uncle Sam has other plans, and he's about to hit her with something that will bring her right back down to reality. A few months later, British arrives at Jackie Christie's apartment for a takeout sushi dinner with the cast. She shows up and sweats because she has had a day. British tells the ladies that she got a call from her parole officer asking if she'd been out of town. When she said yes, he scolded her and said she should have gotten permission first. And now, because of this violation, he's going to ask the judge to give British an ankle monitor. British is upset as she sits down with the ladies. She admits that if she had just followed the rules, she wouldn't be in this predicament. It's hard to say if she's angry at herself or just angry that she got caught. But she's hoping the judge will just give her a warning. A few weeks later, the decision comes in. British will have to wear an ankle monitor after all. She's frustrated, but mostly, she's upset about how this will affect her daughter. And when she finds out that she'll have the monitor for an unspecified amount of time, she starts to panic. Since moving to LA for the show, she's been flying home to St. Louis every other weekend to see Dash. Now, she'll have to ask permission from her parole officer every time and hope that he says yes. British is overwhelmed. She's always prided herself on being there for Dash. But now, her actions are compromising the one thing she loves most in the world. In July 2022, British leans into a new opportunity to distract herself from her problems, hosting the Home Team Morning Show in St. Louis. She's psyched. She'll get to make some money and stay in the public eye. Right around this time, British fires one of her attorneys. She believes that he doesn't have her best interests at heart. She later claims that most of the time she can't even get him on the phone, like when she got her ankle monitor. She says that he was in Italy and couldn't be reached. British believes that she needs better representation because at this point, she's out of options, out of excuses, and nearly out of time. British has always been slow to learn that actions have consequences, but court is about to be in session. I feel like a legend. In October 2023, U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autry sits on the bench, ready to sentence British Williams. His black hair and short beard are both peppered with a little gray. And he got a smile that seems to say I be kind to you if you deserve it But right now it doesn seem like he thinks British deserves much kindness British has already pled guilty to 15 felonies Five counts of misusing a social security number, four counts of bank fraud, three counts of wire fraud, and three counts of making false statements to the IRS. Three additional charges of aggravated identity theft were dismissed. Today's hearing is to decide how long her sentence will be. Prior to this hearing, federal prosecutors submitted a sentencing memo detailing British's crimes. They lay out her years of scamming and say she used her stolen money to pay for her extravagant lifestyle. Sarah, can you read a little bit from this memo? Yes, it says, The defendant's theft and deceit has never been about desperation or ignorance. It has always been about her own greed. Moreover, this conduct shows that defendant will commit fraud again as soon as she is able because that is what she has always done. I mean, sure, but you could say that for anyone. You know what I mean? You don't know. Well, then Judge Henry looks at British and asks if she wants to speak on her own behalf. Sarah, can you read a little bit of what British says? Yes, she says, Your Honor, I know I made some bad decisions in my life. I knew better and I did it anyway. I'm truly sorry. My daughter is my life. Taking me from her will leave her lost in this world. and I could not live with that possibility. I will pay what is necessary to make up for the mistakes I have made, but more than anything, I need to be there for my little girl, and I ask the court to please not take me away from her. I mean, this is true, but also you were doing this knowing you had a little girl. Like, this isn't crimes you committed before your daughter was born that you just stopped committing the moment she was born, you know? Yeah, I mean, even then, that's not really how the system works, unfortunately. No. Well, Judge Henry tells her that he's not buying it. Maybe he'd believe her if she had misused a social security number once. But she did it four more times after that. And the same goes for the bank fraud. She knew the rules and broke them when it suited her. He tells her, quote, There is something, Ms. Williams, that you possess. And that is the unique and keen ability to engage in conduct at the time and then slot off. And then once you get caught, it's kind of a big deal, but not really, because in your own mind, it's not really so bad. But it is. It's really bad. Judge Henry sentences British to four years in jail, followed by supervised release for five years. He also orders her to pay over a half million dollars in restitution. British is horrified, but mostly for her daughter. She always vowed to be there for Dash, but now her worst nightmare is coming true. Her lawyer asks the judge if British can start serving her time after Christmas, so she can spend the holiday with her daughter. And although Judge Henry is strict, he agrees to move her surrender date to January 2024. He also allows her to voluntarily surrender, which means British will be able to bring herself to the prison instead of being escorted there. After pleading guilty, British is fired from her radio gig and basketball wives. She's preparing to leave her daughter and turn herself in. But with a few weeks left on the outside, British decides there's still one thing she can control. Her side of the story. In December 2023, British sits down for an interview with Carlos King. Carlos has short black hair, a beard, and a warm, inviting smile. And he hosts a popular reality show podcast called Reality with the King. Carlos sits across from British, who's wearing a white button-down shirt and sporting a chic bob. Even though she's only days away from jail time, she has never looked better. They start the interview laughing and joking around. Despite everything, British seems to be in good spirits. And throughout the interview, she's pretty open about her life. She stays cool as she goes into all the details of her case. But when she starts to talk about her daughter, she gets choked up. I was like, baby, you know, if mommy goes away, are you going to still love me? And she was like, of course, mommy, I'm going to love you. I pray to God all the time. and I ask him not to let you go anywhere. Nothing is more heart-wrenching than that because I know what it's like not to have a mother in your life. I made a promise to myself that I would never do that to my child. So that's what takes me back to fighting for a reduced sentence. I fought to be there for you every day. The interview lasts about an hour and a half, and through it all, one thing stands out. Ritter still can't fully take accountability for her actions. She even says she believes her sentence was harsher because she is a celebrity. I mean, I don't think so. I think it's because she can't take accountability for actions and also show that she's done anything to meaningfully change. Like, she brings up things that are really sad, like objectively sad to think of someone's child saying that to them. But also, I wouldn't be surprised if she kind of exaggerated it. Yeah. Well, finally, January 3rd arrives, the day she's supposed to turn herself in. But she doesn't. She later says it was due to a miscommunication. But because of this mistake, she's arrested and brought in by authorities. While British is in jail, Lorenzo is taking care of Dash. But he's dealing with his own legal problems. After taking out fraudulent COVID relief loans, he pleads guilty to theft of government property. He avoids jail time, but is sentenced to five years of probation and 200 hours of community service. He also has to pay about $300,000 in restitution. Then, after only serving a year and eight months, British gets released from jail in August 2025. She's ecstatic, mostly because she'll finally be with her daughter again. Lorenzo brings Dash to see her, and despite everything they've been through, he wants Dash to have her mom. That day, he posts a picture of British and Dash making silly faces together, along with a heartfelt caption. Sarah, can you read what it says? Yeah, it says, I'm so happy for my daughter. She's been through a lot over the past two years. I told her last night, the rest of your life will be a celebration. We did it. I mean, it's just such an odd tone. Yeah. But you know what? Who knows? Maybe they will have a type of fresh start. Yeah, it seems like after years of fighting, British and Lorenzo finally seem to be in a healthier place and are co-parenting well. A week after her release, British posts a few photos on her Instagram along with the caption, it takes both sun and rain for a flower to grow. Hopefully, British has had enough rain for a lifetime and can spend the rest of her days with her daughter in the sun. Haggy, where do you think British ranks in the grand scamfluencer's pantheon of reality show scam artists? Pretty low. I mean, she didn't scam the elderly or burn victims. We love a government scam. I think she went about a lot of her scamming the wrong way and got weirdly unlucky. But this is also kind of what a lot of people do without getting caught, right? It's interesting to think about how many people did PPP loan scams and like never got caught because it was just too complicated for anybody to look into it or they had a friend in the government or whatever else. I mean, like she was just so sloppy. You don't rip off the government on loans and then post your new car. Like that's foolish if the loan was for rent. Yeah, she wasn't meant to be a scammer, I think. I think she really is someone who's meant for television, who's very brash and nuts. And she tried accelerating a natural progression to popularity in a way that didn't work for her. She's not someone who can keep up a scam, sadly. It also seems like some of her scamming came from very kind of basic financial illiteracy problems. Like she is seeing people around her using these fake numbers. She thinks it's OK. It's obviously not. She needs her mom's signature for her loans. She can't get it. She doesn't get it. So she applies anyway. I mean, some of this is like basic stuff that she just really fundamentally didn't know. But then she kept doing it when she found out. That's the problem. You can almost see it in how she was sentenced and how the court talked to her, that it was like, If it had been once, we could have had a different conversation. But she kept doing it. Yeah. And it's like, again, I think a lot of these people on TV just fail to recognize that like, yeah, you're getting caught for things that you see other people get away with because you're already famous. Yeah. People hate you. They're praying for your downfall. And they notice inconsistencies in your life. I wouldn't be surprised if the IRS went undercover to get her because someone snitched. You know what I mean? I think these people, it's so fascinating because they live in this world where like they're very important and famous, but still regular enough to get away with things in their heads. Yeah. I feel like we see this sometimes with these reality show scam artists where it's like being on the show actually makes their lives much worse. Yes. You could just enjoy your life peacefully and not need to keep up with the Joneses. That's one option. The second is that you do kind of like do your little scam, but the IRS wouldn't pay attention to you because you wouldn't be on TV flaunting it. And instead, British and women like her pick the secret worst third option, which is I'm on the show. I'm going to have it ruin my life. I'm going to use it to do fraud. And then I'm going to brag about the fraud on TV. Yeah. And also, I don't think she and Lorenzo were maybe destined to work out regardless of whether or not there was a scam. But they did have a nice life together for a while. Like, on paper, it seems like things were going really well. And clearly, she's charismatic enough and crazy enough to be on TV. You know what? Maybe the lesson here is, if you really believe in yourself and have true confidence and peace in your heart, then you'll know that being a reality star is enough. Focus on one lane for attention at a time. Yeah, one attention at a time. That's the lesson. You can't have two. Just one. Yeah, one attention at a time. Okay. dot com's article, former basketball wives star British Williams calls it quits again with her baby daddy. Alison Weintraub wrote this episode. Additional writing by us, Saatchi Cole and Sarah Haggy. Olivia Briley is our story editor. Fact-checking by Gabrielle Trolet. Sound design by James Morgan. Additional audio assistance provided by Augustine Lim. Our music supervisor is Scott Velasquez for Freeze on Sync. Our managing producer is Desi Blalock. Janine Cornelow and Stephanie Jens are development producers. Our associate producer is Charlotte Miller. Our senior producers are Sarah Enney and Ginny Boulin. Our executive producers are Jenny Lauer-Beckman and Marshall Louis for Wondery.