Man ready to plead guilty in $7.5 million fraud case involving Miami Heat ex-players, team

A man preparing to plead guilty in a multimillion-dollar scam involving three former Miami Heat players and the team itself wants to take responsibility for his actions and move on.

The government alleges that Haider Zafar (HY'-dur ZAH'-fahr) defrauded players Mike Miller, James Jones and Rashard Lewis in 2013 by promising to invest $7.5 million in various business opportunities. Instead, prosecutors say, Zafar kept the money and used some of it to buy a $1 million, three-season Heat ticket package.

Defense attorney Sam Shamansky says Zafar is interested in making parties in the case whole and accepting whatever punishment is appropriate.

That case is being consolidated with another against Zafar in Columbus, where a federal judge set a plea hearing for Thursday.