Jontay Porter, who used to play for the Toronto Raptors before being permanently suspended by the NBA earlier this year, is likely to face federal charges on July 10th for defrauding a sports betting company. According to the New York Daily News, prosecutors will file an information (formal criminal charge), which suggests that Porter is planning on pleading guilty.
The NBA banned Jontay Porter in April after an investigation revealed that the player had deliberately left two games early in order to ensure that several other individuals, who were informed of his intentions, would be able to win guaranteed money by wagering. His own partaking in sports betting also played a role in the NBA’s decision.
Porter’s Actions Resulted from Gambling Addiction
Long Phi Pham was the first individual to face legal consequences for the betting scheme. After his arrest in June, Mahmud Mollah and Timothy McCormack were also detained and charged for their alleged involvement in the scheme, and Ammar Awawdeh turned himself in not long after.
The prosecution has alleged that the aforementioned co-conspirators took advantage of debts Porter had incurred due to his gambling addiction and that spot-fixing had been presented to him as the solution to this problem. After agreeing to the terms, Porter would go on to fake injuries and health issues in order to leave NBA matches early.
One of the most egregious instances of this plot in action happened in March when Porter exited a game between the Raptors and the Sacramento Kings several minutes after its start due to feeling “ill.” As a result, Mollah bagged over $1 million from wagering on this outcome. The said game also happens to be the last one Porter participated in before the NBA began investigating the player over suspicions of misconduct.
While these transgressions are serious, it should be stressed that Porter has been cooperating with authorities and that he has been taking measures to address his addiction. This information was shared with The Associated Press by Porter’s lawyer, Jeff Jensen, last month. These aspects of Porter’s behavior could serve as mitigating factors in the upcoming hearing.
The Issue of Sports and Betting Sponsorships
Porter’s situation is just one of several gambling scandals that the US has faced in the past months. Another case of spot-fixing left Tucupita Marcano banned from the MLB for life, while Shohei Ohtani’s interpreter was charged with fraud after stealing from the MLB player in order to pay off gambling debts.
The above cases have sparked discussions regarding the close relationship between sports and betting companies. The NBA is a major example of a league that is closely linked with the industry, seeing as it is sponsored by both FanDuel and DraftKings. A number of fans on social media platforms have reacted to the developments surrounding Porter by drawing links between players like him and the increased exposure to gambling ads that official sponsorships like those of the NBA have resulted in.
