Ex-MSU women's basketball players 2 of 7 charged in MSU healing fund fraud investigation

Lansing State Journal

Michigan State's Maxann Reese moves the ball during a game against Wisconsin in 1999.

EAST LANSING — Two former Michigan State University women's basketball players are among the seven people charged with making fraudulent claims to the college's Healing Assistance Fund.

Between the seven individuals charged, they have 22 felony counts for fraudulent claims that led to them receiving more than $527,000 from the healing fund that was set up to provide counseling and support services to the victims of disgraced former sports doctor Larry Nassar.

Those charged are:

Maxann Reese, 40, of Dallas, Texas. She is charged with seven counts of false pretenses between $20,000 and $50,000. Reese played basketball at MSU from 1996-2000.
Donita Johnson, 40, of New Baltimore. She is charged with two counts of false pretenses between $20,000 and $50,000 and two counts of false pretenses between $1,000 and $20,000. Johnson played basketball at MSU from 1997-2001.
Marcetta Johnson, 70, of Clinton Township. She is charged with two counts of false pretenses between $20,000 and $50,000.
Porter Johnson, 75, of Clinton Township. He is charged with two counts of false pretenses between $20,000 and $50,000.
Tammy Johnson, 50, of Clinton Township. She is charged with two counts of false pretenses between $20,000 and $50,000.
Corey Riley, 39, of Inkster. He is charged with false pretenses between $20,000 and $50,000
Mary Riley, 33, of Inkster. She is charged with false pretenses between $20,000 and $50,000 and three counts of false pretenses between $1,000 and $20,000.

Donita Johnson, a member of the 2000 women's basketball team at Michigan State, was charged with two counts of false pretenses between $20,000 and $50,000 and two counts of false pretenses between $1,000 and $20,000 in connection with a fraud investigation of the Healing Assistance Fund. Johnson collides with Shavonna Hunter of University of Illinois while trying to grab a rebound in 2000.

MSU spokesperson Emily Guerrant said none of the seven charged have come forward publicly as Nassar survivors, nor have they filed lawsuits against the university as a Nassar survivor.

Only Corey Riley had been arraigned as of Monday. Mugshots were not available of any of the seven who were charged.

MSU Police Department spokesperson Capt. Doug Monette said he had no comment on Monday.

None of seven people had attorneys listed in court records.

Someone who answered the phone at a number listed for Marcetta and Porter Johnson hung up on a State Journal reporter.

MSU's Board of Trustees created the Healing Assistance Fund in the wake of the Larry Nassar scandal to financially support survivors during their recovery and healing. Funds helped covered counseling and mental health services not covered by insurance.

The $10 million fund was set up in December 2017 to assist the approximately 500 MSU clinic patients and athletes whom Nassar abused.

It was frozen in July after $1.1 million in payouts after the fund administrator raised concerns about fraudulent claims. During the MSU Police Department's lengthy investigation, the university closed the fund and opened an interim fund while it works to create a new one.

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Contact reporter Kara Berg at 517-377-1113 or kberg@lsj.com. Follow her on Twitter @karaberg95.