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Former UK basketball star Randolph Morris indicted for wire fraud, federal tax violations

Randolph Morris, Joakim Noah, Chris Richard
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LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — Former Kentucky basketball player Randolph Morris was indicted Wednesday for not reporting more than $13 million he earned while playing professionally in China.

The former McDonald's All-American was indicted on 11 federal charges of wire fraud and making false statements on his federal tax returns.

Morris, 35, played at UK from 2004-07 before entering the NBA where he played until 2010. The wire fraud counts allege that Morris submitted false income information to the Kentucky Department of Revenue, for the 2015, 2016 and 2017 tax years, when he played for the Beijing Ducks.

According to the FBI, The alleged failure to report any of his earnings from his Chinese team during those years cost the state of Kentucky more than $400,000 in tax revenue.

The remaining eight counts allege that Morris failed to report his earnings from the Beijing Ducks on his federal 1040 and 1040A forms, for the years 2010 through 2017.

Morris faces up to 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000 on each wire fraud count. For the counts of making false statements on tax returns, he faces a maximum prison sentence of three years.

A date for Morris to appear in federal court has not yet been scheduled.