Mar 17, 2024; Orlando, Florida, USA; Toronto Raptors center Jontay Porter (34) dribbles the ball against Orlando Magic forward Moritz Wagner (21) in the second quarter at KIA Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Reper-USA TODAY Sports
- U.S. Attorney’s Office Eastern District of New York revealed two more individuals have been charged in Jontay Porter sports betting scandal
- Timothy McCormack of New York City and Mahmud Mollah of Langhorne, PA, were both named as defendants in the federal wire fraud case
- They join Long Phi Pham and a fourth individual whose name was redacted in court documents in the case
Two additional individuals have been arrested for conspiring to defraud a sports betting company by placing “under prop” bets on ex-NBA player Jontay Porter during NBA games on Jan. 26, 2024, and March 20, 2024, according to court documents.
Timothy McCormack of New York City and Mahmud Mollah of Langhorne, PA, were both named as defendants today in the federal wire fraud case by the U.S. Attorney’s Office Eastern District of New York. They join a third individual, Long Phi Pham, who was charged yesterday, and a fourth individual whose name has been redacted from court documents.
The individuals encouraged Porter to leave games early so he could clear gambling debts and ensure certain under prop bets on his performance would hit. The individuals netted more than $1 million in wagers placed on Porter’s performance, according to court documents.
Pressured Porter to Leave Games Early
According to the complaint, the co-conspirators placed “under prop” bets on Porter’s performance in two NBA games, knowing in advance he would withdraw from those games for health reasons.
The individuals pressured Porter to remove himself from two NBA games to erase large gambling debts he had accrued. Porter reportedly informed Pham he would be leaving the Jan. 26 and March 20 games early, while McCormack and Mollah placed a number of “under” bets on his performance.
The largest win the defendants notched from their plan was during a March 20 game against the New York Knicks that Porter participated in. Porter removed himself from the matchup after just three minutes, claiming he felt ill. Porter recorded zero points, two rebounds, and zero assists.
According to court documents, Mollah placed an $80,000 parlay bet on the under for Porter’s assists, rebounds, three pointers, steals and blocks. The bet was successful and Mollah won $1.12 million, netting a profit of $1.04 million.
The defendants also won $33,250 off McCormack placing a $7,000 parlay bet on the under for Porter’s assists, steals, and three pointers in a Jan. 26 matchup against the Los Angeles Clippers.
Several other bets placed on Porter’s performances can be found here.
After the January and March games, the two sports betting companies Mollah and McCormack used to place the wagers became suspicious of the activity and reported the bets to the International Betting Integrity Association (IBIA), which reported the activity to the FBI. The companies also reported the suspicious betting activity to the NBA, which opened an investigation on Porter.
It’s likely the betting companies were FanDuel and DraftKings, as the court documents revealed the companies “have been the co-official sports betting partners of the NBA” since 2021.
The NBA lists FanDuel and DraftKings as their only official gaming partners and both agreed to be co-official partners in 2021.
Porter Amassed Gambling Debts
Porter had amassed large gambling debts and was leaving games early to help clear those dues, according to the federal government.
Porter was allegedly nervous about the scheme, telling Pham and co-conspirators in a group chat on April 4, 2024, 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.
Today, court documents revealed texts from Porter to the conspirators that if he didn’t participate in the “special” (code for leaving games early) he would face physical harm.
“If I don’t do a special with your terms. Then it’s up. And u hate me and if I don’t get u 8k by Friday you’re coming to Toronto to beat me up,” Porter texted to one of the defendants in early 2024.
Porter himself has yet to be charged. However, he has been banned for life from the NBA.
The NBA announced in April the decision to ban Porter after an investigation found the backup forward/center provided a sports bettor with confidential information, limited his participation in one or more games for betting purposes, and bet on several NBA games.
Porter was found to have bet against the Raptors in a parlay while he traveled, but did not play, with the team earlier this year.
According to the finding’s of the NBA investigation, Porter placed at least 13 bets on NBA games using an associate’s online sports betting account. The bets ranged from $15 to $22,000, with Porter betting a total of $54,094 on the NBA. The total payout from the bets was $76,059, netting Porter $21,965.
Two more individuals have been implicated in the ongoing sports betting scandal involving former University of Missouri basketball player Jontay Porter. The two individuals, whose names have not been released to the public, are facing charges related to their involvement in the illegal sports betting operation.
The scandal first came to light earlier this year when it was revealed that Porter had been involved in a sports betting scheme that allegedly involved several other individuals. Porter, who is the younger brother of Denver Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr., was suspended from the University of Missouri basketball team in connection with the scandal.
The two individuals now facing charges are believed to have played a significant role in the operation, which authorities say involved placing bets on college basketball games. It is unclear at this time what specific charges the individuals are facing, but they could potentially be charged with illegal gambling, conspiracy, and other related offenses.
The sports betting scandal has sent shockwaves through the college basketball community, raising questions about the prevalence of illegal gambling in the sport. Many are calling for stricter regulations and oversight to prevent similar incidents from happening in the future.
Porter, who declared for the NBA draft earlier this year, has denied any wrongdoing in connection with the scandal. However, the investigation is ongoing, and more individuals could be implicated as authorities continue to unravel the full extent of the operation.
As the case continues to unfold, it serves as a stark reminder of the dangers of illegal sports betting and the potential consequences for those involved. It also highlights the need for increased vigilance and enforcement measures to protect the integrity of college athletics and ensure fair competition for all athletes.
