Kermit Washington, former NBA player, arrested in Los Angeles

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Tuesday, May 24, 2016

LOS ANGELES -- Kermit Washington, a former NBA player who notoriously gave a bone-breaking face punch to the Houston Rockets' Rudy Tomjanovich during a 1977 Lakers game, has been arrested by federal agents.

Washington was arrested on a warrant Tuesday in Los Angeles. It's unknown if he has a lawyer.

Officials would not discuss the arrest, but they have set a news conference for Wednesday in Kansas City, Missouri.

That's where football Hall of Famer Ron Mix pleaded guilty Monday to filing false tax returns.

Authorities say Mix, a San Diego-area lawyer, paid someone to refer clients to him in return for donations to the charity Contact Project Africa.

Prosecutors say Mix paid $155,000, but the money went into his associate's pocket.

Washington founded the charity, which is no longer functioning.

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