Jontay Porter Faces Federal Charge in Betting Scandal, Court Documents Reveal
Court documents reveal that former Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter is facing a federal felony charge in connection to a sports betting scandal, which led to his lifetime ban from the NBA.
On Tuesday, federal prosecutors in Brooklyn filed a criminal information sheet, a document that typically precedes formal charges. While the sheet does not specify a court date or the exact charges, it indicates a link to an ongoing prosecution of four men accused of profiting from tips about a player's plans to leave games early.
The Associated Press reached out to Porter's lawyer, Jeff Jensen, based in St. Louis, via voice and email on Wednesday. Jensen, who last month mentioned Porter's struggle with a gambling addiction, stated that Porter was “in over his head” but is now undergoing treatment and cooperating with law enforcement.
Brooklyn U.S. Attorney Breon Peace's office declined to comment on these recent developments.
In April, an NBA investigation concluded that Porter had provided bettors with information about his health, leading to his premature exit from at least one game. This information allowed bettors to win by betting on his underperformance. Additionally, the investigation revealed that Porter placed bets on NBA games in which he did not participate, including one instance of betting against his own team.
The four men charged last month with conspiracy to commit wire fraud have appeared in court but have not yet entered pleas.
