When the phrase “a scheme that Todd setup” enters the chat, “Real Housewives of Atlanta” fans automatically are taken aback by Kandi Burrus and her Aunt Bertha’s dramatic yet memorable moment.

And, while people are still rather unclear about the accusation around Todd, it is alleged that former sports agent Tank Black had some schemes of his own that left the athletes he represented without vast chunks of their earned income. One of those victims is former NFL star Fred Taylor.

Fred Taylor is a former NFL running back drafted in 1998 as the No. 9 pick to the Jacksonville Jaguars. Throughout his career, he would make 2,534 rushing attempts, gain 11,695 yards, and score 66 touchdowns.

Taylor’s athletic abilities earned him a rookie contract worth approximately $10.7 million over six years, according to reports. This contract would also include a $5 million signing bonus as an additional incentive.

As a rookie in 1998, things were looking up. According to an archived Sports Illustrated report, Taylor hired Tank Black as his agent. Their relationship went beyond business. Taylor considered Black a second father and referred to him as “Pops.” The two’s relationship was solid, to say the least.

“You’ve got to understand the way I thought of Tank,” Taylor said to Sports Illustrated. “You don’t have a lot of relationships like that in your life.”

One could assume with someone like Black in place, Taylor would not have to worry about the business side of his career, but that trust soon faded.

In the fall of 1999, Taylor discovered that he had been cheated out of millions of dollars thanks to a Pyramid Scheme Black allegedly invested in.

But how did they get to this point?

Fred Taylor

Sign up for our daily Newsletter.