Kermit Washington Pleads Guilty to Identity Theft, Filing False Tax Returns

Former NBA player Kermit Washington has pleaded guilty to three felony charges, including aggravated identity theft and filing false tax returns. 

Per TMZ Sports, Washington will face up to eight years in prison and a fine of up to $750,000 after entering his guilty plea in federal court. 

Washington was originally arrested in May 2016 as part of a larger federal investigation connected to former NFL offensive lineman Ron Mix in which fraudulent donations made to a charity called "Project Contact Africa" were pocketed by someone with the title "Individual F."

TMZ noted Washington was the one accused of orchestrating the scheme, and he made out with "a large amount of money" prior to his arrest. 

In June 2016, TMZ reported Washington initially entered a plea of not guilty on charges of "corrupt interference with tax laws, conspiring to commit wire fraud, falsification of records and aggravated identity theft."

Washington played 10 NBA seasons with five teams from 1973-82 and 1987-88, including the Los Angeles Lakers, Portland Trail Blazers, San Diego Clippers, Boston Celtics and Golden State Warriors. He is perhaps remembered most for his infamous punch of Rudy Tomjanovich in a 1977 matchup between the Lakers and Houston Rockets.