BROWARD COUNTY, FL — Two Broward County basketball coaches, including one who led his team to a state championship last season, were arrested Wednesday on charges of grand theft and organized fraud after allegedly pocketing thousands of dollars by illegally renting out school gymnasiums for basketball tournaments.

Henry Lewis McNabb, 42, a security specialist and former boys basketball coach at Blanche Ely High School, and Brenton Hankerson, 43, a security specialist and girls varsity coach at Coral Springs High School, face charges of obtaining property by fraud and grand theft, according to arrest records and affidavits from Broward Schools Police.

The arrests mark the culmination of a months-long investigation that uncovered a coordinated pattern of unauthorized events at three Broward high schools, with coaches allegedly entering into private agreements with outside basketball associations while bypassing the district's official rental system.

2 Broward high school basketball coaches arrested for alleged illegal gym rentals. https://t.co/c8YwRGc7U3
— NBC 6 South Florida (@nbc6) December 11, 2025

How a Graduation Ceremony Exposed the Scheme

The investigation began in an almost comical way: a man showed up to set up for a high school graduation and found a basketball tournament already underway.

On May 31, Delvin King had booked Blanche Ely High School's gym through Facilitron—the platform community members use to rent school facilities—for a graduation ceremony. He arrived early to set up, left, and returned later to find the gym completely transformed.

"I came in and there was a whole basketball tournament going on here at Blanche Ely High School," King told Local 10 News. "There was nothing on the calendar. I am the only person (who) rented the gym."

King described the scene: "There was a lot of people here, they were collecting money at the door, all of my chairs were moved, the decorations were messed up."

What alarmed King even more than the disruption was the security situation. "There were no employees there," King said. "No security, no custodians, not one Broward County school employee."

King immediately reported the incident to district administrators and the Broward Sheriff's Office. After sheriff's deputies and school officials arrived, the basketball tournament was canceled, and King was allowed to rearrange the gym for his graduation.

That single report would unravel a scheme spanning three schools and dozens of unauthorized events.

The Pattern: Multiple Schools, Multiple Dates, Thousands in Cash

What investigators discovered went far beyond a single tournament. The scope was systematic and ongoing.

Blanche Ely High School

According to the district's investigation, McNabb held "additional illicit basketball tournaments" at Blanche Ely on June 1, May 18, April 26, and April 27, 2025, which were hosted by two sports groups.

The dates suggest a coordinated schedule: April 26-27 was a full weekend tournament, with additional single-day events in May and early June—a pattern consistent with organized spring basketball circuits common in South Florida.

Hollywood Hills High School

District police learned McNabb also held similar tournaments at Hollywood Hills High School on three dates in May, which also were hosted by one of the sports groups.

Coral Springs High School

The investigation revealed even more extensive use of Coral Springs High School's facilities. The district's investigation revealed that Coral Springs High's gym was being rented out improperly for basketball tournaments on seven dates from April 6 to June 8, according to the affidavit for Hankerson.

Seven unauthorized events at a single school between April and June suggests a regular weekly or biweekly series—the kind of organized operation that requires significant planning and infrastructure.

The Money Trail: Zelle Payments and Lost Revenue

Investigators subpoenaed bank records and payment histories for both coaches, uncovering a clear financial trail.

McNabb received approximately $5,200 in payments from events held at Blanche Ely and Hollywood Hills, while Hankerson's total profit was $5,950, according to the affidavits. The coaches were directly paid thousands of dollars through Zelle by outside basketball associations to host the tournaments.

The payments bypassed the district entirely. None of the events were approved or paid for through Facilitron, the district's official rental system.

Meanwhile, the schools themselves lost substantial potential revenue:

The total potential revenue losses to the district from Blanche Ely and Hollywood Hills amounted to $12,920
The total potential revenue losses to the district from Coral Springs High for the tournaments amounted to $11,805

Combined, the three schools lost nearly $25,000 in legitimate rental fees—money that should have gone back into school athletic programs and facilities.

Beyond Money: Safety and Liability Concerns

The financial fraud is serious enough, but district officials emphasized an even more troubling aspect: the safety risk.

According to the affidavit, King told investigators that McNabb "entered into private agreements with outside basketball associations" and that "the allegations also mentioned that Coach McNabb benefited financially from these private agreements while exposing the district to severe liability and safety concerns".

The affidavits said the rentals exposed the district to "severe liability and safety concerns".

When tournaments are held through proper channels, the district ensures:

Trained security personnel are present
Custodial staff maintain facilities
Insurance coverage protects against injuries
Emergency protocols are in place
Proper supervision exists for minors

None of those protections existed at these unauthorized events. If someone had been injured, the liability exposure for the district—and potentially the schools themselves—could have been catastrophic.

Who Were the "Outside Basketball Associations"?

The arrest affidavits and district reports repeatedly reference "outside basketball associations" and "sports groups" that paid the coaches, but those organizations are not named in any official documents.

The district's investigation found McNabb held tournaments "hosted by two sports groups" at Blanche Ely, with one of those sports groups also hosting the Hollywood Hills events.

The Coral Springs High events were reportedly operated by "two different groups"—separate from those tied to Ely and Hollywood Hills.

This suggests at least three or four different organizations may have been involved, though some could be the same groups operating under different names.

The district has not publicly identified any of the basketball organizations, and it's unclear whether those groups face any legal exposure. The criminal charges filed so far apply only to the two coaches.

Public Tournament Advertisements Align With Investigation Dates

A review of publicly available social media posts reveals that The Alliance Basketball Network advertised tournaments at some of the same schools during the same time periods under investigation.

Instagram posts from The Alliance's account show the organization promoted basketball tournaments at Blanche Ely High School, Hollywood Hills High School, and Coral Springs High School on dates that correspond with several of the unauthorized events identified in the district investigation, including the April 26-27 weekend and other dates in May and early June.

The Alliance Basketball Network, is a well-known independent basketball circuit that regularly hosts spring tournaments at various high school facilities throughout the region.

Whether these publicly advertised Alliance tournaments are the same events referenced in the criminal investigation—or whether The Alliance was among the "outside basketball associations" that paid McNabb and Hankerson—remains unclear. The district has not confirmed any connection between The Alliance and the unauthorized events, and no charges have been filed against the organization or its operators.

The Alliance Basketball Network has not responded to requests for comment regarding whether their advertised tournaments at these schools were conducted through proper district rental channels or whether they had any involvement in the unauthorized events under investigation.

District investigators likely have payment records, communications, and other evidence that would identify which organizations paid the coaches, but that information has not been made public as the investigation continues.

The Charges: What They Mean

Both McNabb and Hankerson face serious criminal charges:

Grand Theft - Under Florida law, grand theft of $5,000 to $20,000 is a third-degree felony, punishable by up to five years in prison and a $5,000 fine.

Obtaining Property by Fraud / Organized Scheme to Defraud - This charge elevates the seriousness of the case by alleging a coordinated, systematic scheme rather than isolated incidents.

Broward County Public Schools officials said in a statement both coaches "could be out of a job". The district statement emphasized: "Both employees in question were arrested by Broward Schools Police as part of an investigation into the improper use of district facilities for personal gain".

Both men have made their first court appearances and the cases are proceeding through the criminal justice system.

McNabb's Coaching Legacy—And Its Abrupt End

The arrest is particularly shocking given McNabb's high-profile role in Broward basketball. He led Blanche Ely High School's boys basketball team to win state championships last season, making him one of the most successful and visible coaches in the district.

Now that championship legacy is overshadowed by criminal charges and allegations he used his position to profit off the very schools and facilities that made his success possible.

A System Vulnerable to Exploitation

The scandal highlights a broader vulnerability in how school facilities are managed—and how easily the system can be exploited by insiders with access and relationships.

Independent basketball tournament operators have long relied on school gyms as affordable, accessible venues. When done properly through official channels, it's a win-win: schools generate revenue, organizers get quality facilities, and young athletes have places to compete.

But the system depends on trust and oversight. School employees have keys, access codes, and the authority to open facilities. Athletic staff know the schedules, maintenance routines, and which weekends are available. That access, combined with relationships in the basketball community, creates opportunities for those willing to bypass proper procedures.

In this case, coaches allegedly leveraged their positions to facilitate unauthorized events, collect payments directly, and pocket money that should have gone to the schools—all while leaving the district exposed to liability if anything went wrong.

What Happens Next

The criminal investigation is ongoing, and more information is expected to emerge as prosecutors build their cases.

Key questions remain:

Will the "outside basketball associations" face any consequences?
Are there additional school employees involved who haven't been charged yet?
Were there other schools beyond the three identified where similar arrangements occurred?
How will the district change its procedures to prevent this from happening again?

For now, Broward County schools are left dealing with the fallout: two arrested employees, tens of thousands in lost revenue, potential liability exposure, and a serious breach of trust that undermines the integrity of school facility management across the district.

The case serves as a cautionary tale about the importance of oversight, proper procedures, and the consequences when those entrusted with access to public facilities use that access for personal gain.

As one observer put it: These weren't random one-off events. Someone ran an operation. The evidence shows who—and now they're facing the consequences.