Summary:
- A NY man has been charged in a sports betting scandal that convinced the NBA to slap Jontay Porter with a ban for life.
- The charges marked the first known criminal fallout from the matter.
- The alleged illegal betting scheme influenced two games and several bets.
A man from New York City has been charged on Tuesday in the sports betting scandal that led to the NBA’s decision to impose a life ban on 24-year-old Jontay Porter.
The charges represented the first known criminal fallout from the matter.
While Porter was not named in the court complaint, the papers mention the pseudonym “Player 1” whose details match those of the former Toronto Raptors player.
According to Brooklyn U.S. Attorney Breon Peace, “Player 1” and his alleged co-conspirators took part in what was described as “a brazen, illegal betting scheme that had a corrupting influence on two games and numerous bets”.
In a statement that he gave, Peace added that “Whether on the court or in the casino, every point matters”.
As per the complaint, the player spoke directly with defendant Long Phi Pham and the alleged co-defendants whose names were redacted.
Apparently, once the NBA investigation started this spring, “Player 1” warned Pham and the co-defendants about a potential for a federal racketeering charge using an encrypted messaging app.
He also allegedly asked them if they had deleted “all the stuff” from their devices.
The complaint also spoke about “Player 1” owing “significant gambling debts” to at least one of his alleged conspirators and being encouraged to settle the debts by doing a “special”.
The term refers to a strategic bowing out of games in such a way that bets would pay off for those who had knowledge of them and who could wager on the player’s underperforming expectations.
“Player 1” allegedly told Pham and another defendant that was planning to take himself out early of a January 26 game early by claiming he had suffered an injury.
A few days before that, he reported hurting an eye but was marked on the injured list.
He played 4 minutes and 24 seconds against the Los Angeles Clippers in the respective game before claiming his eye problem had gotten worse and exited with zero points, three rebounds, and one assist.
The markers were well below what the basketball sportsbooks were anticipating, thus bringing in wins for all bettors who wagered on the “under”.
Allegedly, one of the conspirators took out $33,250 with another one netting $75,000.
Similarly, almost two months later, he claimed illness to exit the Sacramento Kings game earlier. Some of the defendants won more than $1 million combined on the “under” bets.
One of them was denied his winnings by a betting company that suspected something was off.
38-year-old Pham, of Brooklyn, has been detained after his initial court appearance Tuesday.
He has been accused of conspiring to defraud a sports betting company and his bail hearing is due on Wednesday.
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