Gambling Scheme Involving Former Raptors Big Yields Criminal Investigation

A Brooklyn man has been charged in connection to an alleged illegal sports betting scheme involving former Toronto Raptors center Jontay Porter who was banned from the NBA earlier this year.

Porter is not named in the court complaint but the description of the so-called “Player 1” only describes Porter who was said to have accrued a significant gambling debt with the co-conspirators.

The 24-year-old formerly on a two-way contract with Toronto was encouraged to negatively impact his performance and withdraw from two games in order to wipe away his debt.

Porter did play on January 26 before withdrawing due to an eye injury that had not previously been listed on Toronto’s injury report.

The scheme resulted in the Brooklyn man Long Phi “Bruce” Pham winning $40,250, according to the United States Attorney’s Office. Pham had bet on Porter’s “prop” bets to go under his expected statistical milestones for the game.

Porter again exited a game on March 20 early citing an illness after he and the alleged co-conspirators used Telegram to discuss another gambling scheme, according to the criminal complaint.

“They agreed to share the profits for money won on successful under bets placed on Player 1, and that Pham would receive approximately 24% of the profits,” according to the Justise Department. “Several bettors, including the co-conspirators, who wagered the under on prop bets related to Player 1’s performance won those bets. In total, the defendant and his co-conspirators netted over $1 million in profits.”

The NBA began its investigation into Porter when sportsbooks notified the league that there was an unusual flurry of bets made on Porter to fail to meet his statistical milestones.

After the league announced its findings, Porter is said to have messaged the co-conspirators in a group chat that they “might just get hit w a rico,” referring to a racketeering charge, and asked if the group chat participants had “delete[d] all the stuff” from their personal cell phones.

“Whether on the court or in the casino, every point matters. As alleged, the defendant and his co-conspirators, as well as an NBA player, participated in a brazen, illegal betting scheme that had a corrupting influence on two games and numerous bets,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “This prosecution serves as a warning that fraud and dishonesty in professional sports will not be tolerated and those who engage in this flagrant flouting of the law will be prosecuted.”

It is unclear if Porter is under investigation by the Justice Department.