Jontay Porter to be Charged in NBA Betting Scandal
Former NBA player Jontay Porter to be charged and facing serious legal trouble after being banned for life from the NBA as part of a sports betting scandal.
Court documents filed on Tuesday indicate that Porter will be charged with a federal felony stemming from his role in the scandal.
Details of the Charges against Jontay Porter
While the specific charges and court date are yet to be revealed, the documents link Porter's case to an ongoing prosecution of four other individuals. These individuals are accused of using insider information about Porter's plans to leave games early to place winning bets.
Ex-Raptors forward Jontay Porter reportedly set to plead guilty to felony charges over NBA gambling scandal https://t.co/GcwKR65irC
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The Associated Press reached out to Porter's lawyer for comment but has not yet received a response. Previously, Porter's lawyer stated that Porter was struggling with a gambling addiction and is currently undergoing treatment while cooperating with authorities.
NBA Investigation Revealed Insider Betting by Porter
An NBA investigation conducted in April revealed that Porter had been providing inside information to bettors about his health.
He would then feign illness to leave at least one game early, allowing those who bet on him to underperform to win. Additionally, Porter himself placed bets on NBA games, even betting against his own team.
Four Others Charged in Connection to the Scandal
Last month, four men - Ammar Awawdeh, Timothy McCormack, Mahmud Mollah, and Long Phi Pham - were charged for their roles in the scandal. They are facing charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and have been released on bond.
According to court documents filed in June, these men are accused of using advanced knowledge of an NBA player's (referred to as "Player 1") intentions to place successful bets on his performance.
Details from the complaint matched those of the NBA investigation into Porter, further solidifying the connection.
The Allegations Against Jontay Porter
The complaint details that Porter had significant gambling debts to Ammar Awawdeh. Awawdeh allegedly pressured Porter to repay these debts by deliberately exiting games early, allowing insiders to place successful bets on his underperformance.
Encrypted messages retrieved from earlier this year reveal communication between Porter and Awawdeh where Porter expressed fear of retaliation if he did not comply.
The complaint further alleges that Porter informed some of the co-defendants about his plan to fake health issues to withdraw from games on predetermined dates. On those dates, Porter briefly played before leaving the court citing injury or illness, resulting in his performance falling below betting expectations.
How the Scheme Played Out
According to the complaint, Mollah, McCormack, and a relative of Awawdeh placed bets on Porter to underperform and profited significantly. While Mollah's winnings from one game exceeded $1 million, a betting company blocked him from collecting most of it.
With investigations underway by the NBA and other entities, Porter reportedly messaged his co-conspirators expressing concern about potential RICO charges and the need to delete any incriminating evidence.
The complaint acknowledges that Porter may have cooperated with authorities in hopes of leniency at sentencing. However, the exact details and timeline of this cooperation remain unclear.
This story is still developing, and Jontay Porter is expected to face federal charges related to the sports betting scandal.
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