Jontay Porter potentially faces 3-4 years in prison after million dollar NBA betting scandal: Report
Jontay Porter, the former NBA player who had been banished from the league, has plead guilty in the case involving a betting scandal.
The former Toronto Raptors player had been banned for a lifetime from the NBA after he was found to be involved in the scandal.
According to The Associated Press, Porter will face felony charges within the United States law. The AP also reported that since Porter has already plead guilty in the court for wire fraud, he might face 3-4 years of prison sentence.
Earlier, after the investigation by the league, the NBA found out that Porter had been involved in betting, both on and off the court. According to the evidence found by the league, Porter had disclosed his health status to a bettor before the game.
The former Toronto Raptor player had also played shorter minutes in the game in order to give profit to the concerned bettor.
Moreover, the league also found out that while Porter still played in the G League, he betted on NBA games through someone else’s account. Of the 13 games that he betted on, he even betted against the Raptors.
Porter had won a total of $76,059 after putting in a total of $54,094 in 13 bets. He made a total of $21,965 through those bets, not too big of money compared to his then $410,000 NBA salary.
Jontay Porter's lawyer says the banned NBA player has been battling gambling addiction
Although the verdict of the court in New York hearing Jontay Porter’s gambling fraud has not yet been delivered, there is the possibility of him getting a jail term. However, amidst everything, it is only his lawyer’s statement that could cut some time off his jail term.
Earlier in June, Porter’s lawyer told The AP that his client was going through a gambling addiction and he is getting treatment for the same.
“Jontay is a good young man with strong faith that will get him through this. He was in over his head due to a gambling addiction," he said. "He is undergoing treatment and has been fully cooperative with law enforcement."
Separately, the Canadian Investigation and Enforcement Bureau has also opened an investigation into the games played between January 26 and March 20.
Jontay Porter played 25 games for the Toronto Raptors in the 2023-24 season. He averaged 4.6 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.4 assists in 14.4 minutes.