A 40-year-old basketball coach in the Orlando area was arrested after he was accused of misappropriating funds from his players for personal vacations and to purchase OnlyFans subscriptions.
In December of 2023, the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office received a report from Tropical Escape Vacation Homes regarding a coach, identified as Roderick Lawrence Wilmont, who had rented three of their Champions Gate vacation homes for his post-grad prep basketball program, Orlando-based Mont Sports Academy, according to the sheriff’s office.
Basketball players from around the world travel to Central Florida to take part in Wilmont’s program and play at the Florida Sun Conference. The sheriff’s office stated that for several months, Wilmont’s basketball players stayed at the Champions Gate rental properties.
Wilmont initially made small deposits and partial payments for the rental properties, but he allegedly made “endless excuses” regarding why he was unable to make the full payments on time.
After checking out, Wilmont failed to pay for the total rental cost, owing Champions Gate more than $19,000, according to OCSO.
Wilmont allegedly told Champions Gate that the money was “wired and transferred” to their bank account. However, investigators learned that the business had never provided instructions to Wilmont regarding how to send money to their bank account.
When Champions Gate asked Wilmont additional questions about the wire transaction, he allegedly became “uncooperative” with the business, according to the sheriff’s office.
During an investigation, investigators learned that Westgate Resorts was also an alleged victim of Wilmont. He had rented several rooms on their property for the players and allegedly failed to pay an outstanding balance of over $7,000.
Westgate Resort told investigators that it has contacted Wilmont several times regarding the balance owed, and he has yet to submit a payment.
OCSO stated that detectives with its tourism policing unit obtained Wilmont’s financial records, which allegedly show that parents of the players were sending him thousands of dollars each month to cover the program’s “tuition” fee. This included funds for housing, transportation, gym/practice rentals, food, and other related costs.
“Some months, Coach Wilmont would have deposits of $45,000 into his bank account,” stated the sheriff’s office.
After a thorough review of Wilmont’s banking records, OCSO learned that Wilmont allegedly spent thousands of dollars each month on gambling, personal vacations, and OnlyFans subscriptions instead of using those funds to cover the cost of housing for the players.
Wilmont was arrested and transported to Osceola County Jail. He is being charged with two counts of scheming to Defraud and two counts of defrauding an innkeeper.
If anyone has information related to this case or any other similar incidents, the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office asks that you call 407-348-2222.