If you remember back in May 2012, current Miami Heat center Chris Andersen had his Denver area home searched by federal authorities who were searching for child pornography. Well now, according to the Denver Post, those child pornography allegations -- and Andersen’s other troubles -- all stem from a bizarre double-catfish scheme that engulfed Andersen and another woman.
Even during the time that a Colorado Sheriff’s Office Internet Crimes Against Children team seized property from Andersen’s home, Andersen’s attorneys claimed he was the victim in the case. Now, more than a year later, his lawyers are divulging more details, and it’s a bizarre case of double-catfishing.
Mark Bryant, the attorney, said Andersen was being impersonated online by a woman in Canada. The woman, posing as Andersen, sought relationships and gifts but also threatened at least one person, Bryant said. The woman in Canada was also posing online as other people to Andersen, Bryant said.Andersen’s attorneys said the woman, whose name he would not release, has been charged in Canada with multiple crimes. She has not yet been charged in Colorado but could be.
Bryant said the woman, whose name he would not release, has been charged in Canada with multiple crimes. She has not yet been charged in Colorado but could be.
“It is my understanding that this case involves numerous victims,” Bryant said. “… Chris was a victim in this case.”
The revelation and all the details in the case finally explain why Andersen had authorities in his home searching for child porn.
Royal Canadian Mounted Police confirmed to the Denver Post that Shelly Lynn Chartier, 29, has been charged with a string of crimes, including possession and transmitting of child pornography, impersonation, extortion and making threats. However, they would not confirm that Chartier, who lives in a small Manitoba town, is the woman in question.
Andersen and his attorneys claimed last year that he had been chatting online with a young woman from Canada. She sent him several naked photographs of herself. The woman eventually traveled to Colorado (along with ID proving she was over 21), but became angry when Andersen didn’t think she was so hot after all.
The woman and her family then began seeking money and gifts from Andersen.
“I want him to pay for everything on her Amazon wishlist and $5,000 for her bedding stuff and her victoria secret wishlist,” read one email supposedly from the woman’s mother.
The woman scammed Birdman, and then turned around, pretended to be Birdman and scammed other people.
This article was written by Glenn Erby. Follow him on Twitter here and read more of his work here.
