On the eve of Fourth of July, former Toronto Raptors center Jontay Porter is facing felony charges in connection with a NBA.
Federal prosecutors in Brooklyn filed a criminal information sheet on Tuesday against Porter, a younger brother of Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr. The two-page filing in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York does not specify a particular charge or when Porter is scheduled to appear before a judge. According to the filing obtained by Sports Handle, Porter will be charged with a felony.
The NBA New York are facing federal charges in connection with the illegal betting scheme.
News of the impending charges against Porter was first reported Wednesday by the Associated Press. Breon Peace, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, has not issued a statement on the matter.
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An NBA investigation over the spring determined that Porter limited his own participation in multiple games during the 2023-24 regular season. The games in question took place on Jan. 26 and March 20. In both instances, Porter either feigned injury or illness to influence the outcome of prop wagers on his performance. Porter, a two-way player with the Raptors’ organization, also wagered on NBA games, according to the league’s investigation.
The NBA issued the ban on April 17, one day after FanDuel.
Breaking: Jontay Porter bet heavily from a VIP at FanDuel accd to multiple sources. Porter, however did not bet on NBA or college hoops, a source w direct knowledge of the situation told @sports_handle
Porter may face a lifetime ban from the NBA. https://t.co/eSfrhWnesQ
— Matt Rybaltowski (@MattRybaltowski) April 16, 2024
“There is nothing more important than protecting the integrity of NBA competition for our fans, our teams, and everyone associated with our sport, which is why Jontay’s blatant violations of our gaming rules are being met with the most severe punishment,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver wrote in a statement on the day of Porter’s ban.
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On March 20, when the Raptors faced the Sacramento Kings, Porter appeared on the court for only three minutes. He finished 0-for-1 from the floor with no points, before leaving with an unspecified illness. According to the NBA’s investigation, an individual whom Porter knew as an NBA bettor placed an $80,000 parlay to win $1.1 million.
In June, a Brooklyn man named Long Phi Pham was arrested surrendered on June 6, in connection with the scheme. A fourth individual was charged in the matter last month.
According to the complaint, Pham, Mollah, and McCormack met at an Atlantic City casino on the evening of the Kings’ game. Surveillance footage shows the trio together at the property, the complaint states. While the name of the sportsbook is not identified, there are multiple reports that the parlay was placed at DraftKings.
Days after federal law enforcement officials apprehended a figure in the Jontay Porter case who was attempting to leave the country, two other individuals have been charged in connection with the brazen sports betting scheme, reports @MattRybaltowski.https://t.co/j6VUbyBY7j
— Sports Handle (@sports_handle) June 6, 2024
Named only as “Player 1” in the complaint, there are indications that the conspirators could be investigated for violations of The Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act, according to FBI Special Agent Dominic Mariani. The player, according to the complaint, asked Pham and Mollah to delete information from their personal cellphones that could be incriminating.
Last month, Porter’s attorney, Jeff Jensen, noted that his client was cooperating with investigators in the matter. Jensen, on behalf of Porter, told reporters that his client became saddled with debt due to a gambling addiction. Efforts to Jensen on Wednesday were unsuccessful.
The filing comes on the heels of the NBA Summer League, which begins on July 12 in Las Vegas. Porter ed the Nuggets for the 2022 NBA Summer League, months before he was named to the opening night roster for the Wisconsin Herd of the NBA’s G-League. The Porter investigation has prompted the NBA to consider a ban on prop wagers involving two-way players. Players signed to two-way NBA contracts are paid one salary for their time in both leagues.
