Former-NBA player Jontay Porter pleads guilty to federal fraud charges
The former Toronto Raptors forward Jontay Porter, 24, who was banned from the NBS for sports betting, has admitted to a gambling scheme where he tipped off gamblers in advance of rigged games, which netted them a million dollars.
Porter admitted to engaging in gambling fraud and placing his own bets “in order to get out from under a large gambling debt,” reports the Daily Mail. “I know what I did was wrong and unlawful, and I’m deeply sorry for my conduct,” he added.
The ex-star pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and will be subject to fines and institutions of around $456,000. Prosecutors have recommended that he receive 41-51 months of jail time in his sentencing, scheduled for December 18.
He is currently out on bond for $250,000, which has been insured by his wife and mother. He has also been required to attend gambling counseling. Porter had previously told judges that he had been “an inpatient at a rehab facility for gambling”.
Porter was part of a gambling ring that made $1 million from betting on rigged games
Four other men have been implicated in the gambling ring and fraud charges. Porter tipped off the group to bet on certain games he planned to rig by deliberately underperforming. They encouraged him to clear his gambling debts through their successes, according to prosecutors.
On the day Porter faced his lifelong NBA ban for betting on games (including betting against his own team), he contacted the men, warning them of potential law involvement. He told them they “might get hit w a rico,” meaning a federal racketeering charge, and asked them to delete incriminating data from their phones.
The charges state that the four men placed ‘prop bets’ on Porter’s performance in certain games that Porter told them he would underperform in through a group chat.
In a January 26 game against the Los Angeles Clippers, Porter tipped off one of the men that he would be taking himself out of the game early, indicating it would be a prime target for a prop bet.
Porter spent just four minutes on the court before coming off with an apparent injury.
Jontay Porter repeated this on March 20 in a game against the Sacramento Kings, leaving the game early due to claimed sickness.
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