Mike Miller, formerly of the Miami Heat, is one Heat player allegedly victimized in a real estate scam. Photo Credit Playersview.net.

A recent testimony in a trial about a multimillion dollar real estate scam brought a development to the case, alleging that Haider Zafar, the southern Florida resident and accused orchestrator of the scheme, also duped Miami Heat players.

According to a report by The Associated Press, Andrew Fine, an international investment attorney, testified Aug. 19 in a Columbus, Ohio courthouse that Zafar, who previously resided in Ohio, scammed former Heat forward Mike Miller and other Florida residents out of $8 million. The AP report said Fine’s testimony alleged that other Heat players were scammed, and an anonymous source told the AP that current forward Rashard Lewis and guard James Jones were victims of the scheme.

Zafar, a native of Pakistan, is standing trial for a 135-count indictment filed on behalf of Washington, D.C. businessman Patwinder Sidhu, who claims Zafar coaxed $10 million out of him between 2008 and 2010. According to the report, Sidhu alleges that Zafar presented “questionable documents” representing real estate opportunities in Pakistan. Zafar allegedly told Sidhu his uncle was Pakistan’s defense minister and it was Zafar’s duty to buy property in Pakistan and resell it to the government to turn a profit.

The report said U.S. District Judge Edmund A. Sargus ordered Zafar be held without bond because he is “a flight risk and danger to the community.” Zafar pleaded not guilty to all the charges in July, and Samuel Shamansky, his lawyer, spoke to the media the day following Fine’s testimony and reiterated he and his client intend to fight the allegations.

The past and present Miami Heat players are not named in the criminal complaint, the report said, and the Heat issued a statement after Zine’s testimony saying they are continuously communicating with the proper authorities.