Photo Credit: Getty Images

Chris ‘Birdman’ Andersen – Victim Of Horrible Catfish Scheme

The hundreds of tattoos, the menacing hairstyles, the hard-nosed, defensive-oriented play style of Chris ‘Birdman’ Andersen. Oh, and the child pornography case.

Chris Andersen has bounced around the NBA playing for five franchises over a sixteen year period. Always considered a role player, “Birdman’s” high energy play and knack for blocking shots and rebounding the basketball has kept him around for a long time. In 2012, Andersen helped the Miami Heat win the NBA championship.

Remember hearing about the 2012 child pornography case where Andersen was the culprit? Well, it turns out he was “duped” the whole time and was a part of a catfish scheme.

According to Bleacher Report, during a stint with the Denver Nuggets, Andersen engaged in a sexual relationship with a woman from California who “allegedly misrepresented her age to Andersen.” She was still not underage in Colorado,where the statutory age of consent is 17.

At the same time, a woman from Canada had reportedly stolen Andersen’s identity, gaining access to all of his information online. This woman, posing as Andersen, initially constructed the relationship with the woman from California, communicating with her and eventually making explicit demands from her.

The California woman began to feel threatened and alerted authorities—and that’s when the investigation into Andersen began.

Andersen had his home searched in May of 2012 as part of an investigation by the Internet Crimes Against Children unit. The unit investigates “child porn, Internet luring, child predators and child pornography,” according to The Denver Post’s Jessica Fender.

The 29-year-old woman from Canada is being charged with “possession of child pornography, personation, extortion, transmission of child pornography and utter threats.”

Chris Andersen’s lawyer, Mark Bryant stated it has been a tough couple of years for his client, and the stigma attached to his name has affected him greatly.

“I can’t tell you how much Chris [Andersen] agonized over the label placed on him. This has had an extraordinary effect on Chris… He appreciates those who reserved judgment. He will continue to do what he’s always done in life and that’s turn something bad hopefully into something good.”

All charges have been dropped against Chris Andersen.

Andersen spent the start of the 2016-17 season as a member of the Cleveland Cavaliers, but only played 12 games with the team before tearing his ACL on December 16, 2016. He was then traded to the Charlotte Hornets, but immediately waived. 

Whether his stint with the Cavaliers in 2016-17 was the last of “Birdman,” at least the child pornography stigma is erased from his name.