Miami Heat center Chris Anderson has been cleared of any wrongdoing in an extremely complex case. He was the victim of a complex internet scheme.
Anderson was duped by a woman in Canada who sought a relationship and gifts. She also threatened a female acquaintance of Anderson. Neither Anderson or his acquaintance realized that they weren’t communicating with each other, but with the woman from Canada. The communication led to a raid of Anderson’s Denver-area home last year. The woman initially contacted Anderson through Facebook.
Prosecutors told Anderson that they will not file charges against him, according to ESPN.
"We were always confident that Chris was innocent but we just couldn't figure out what had happened," Anderson’s lawyer Mark Bryant told ESPN.com. It turned out that it was a Manti Te'o situation. It was Manti Te'o on steroids."
The Denver Post has identified the woman as Shelly Lynn Chartier of Easterville, Manitoba. She posed as Anderson in conversations with Anderson’s acquaintance and she posed as Anderson’s acquaintance in conversations with Anderson. Chartier had been arrested in January. She was charged with possession and transmission of child pornography, extortion, and utter threats, according to the Associated Press. Chartier also faces possible charges in Colorado.
All of this happened while Anderson was playing for the Denver Nuggets. The Nuggets released Anderson under the NBA’s amnesty clause. Last winter Anderson signed with the Heat, and helped them win a second straight title. He signed a one-year deal to return to the Heat this season.
Anderson must be glad that his name is cleared and that this is finally over.