A Pennsylvania man embroiled in the Jontay Porter betting scandal has agreed to plead guilty to wire fraud conspiracy and will be sentenced on May 2nd, while Porter’s sentencing date is December 18th of this year.
Let’s take a closer look at the case and how it might work as a future reference for top-rated sportsbooks‘ security measures.
Gambler Cops a Plea
A Lansdale, Pennsylvania man, Mahmud Mollah, became the third conspirator in the Jontay Porter betting scandal to cop a plea. He is the third of five men accused of doing so, with gambler Long Phi Pham and Porter himself also pleading guilty to wire fraud conspiracy. All three men are facing a sentence ranging from no jail time to 20 years in prison. The remaining two men have yet to enter a plea.
“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.”
Porter reported receiving a 24% commission from the winnings and later said in court that he participated in the conspiracy “to get out from under large gambling debts.”
Million Dollar Hustle
Jontay Porter went undrafted coming out of Missouri in 2019, but he hooked on with the Memphis Grizzlies the following year and has been a frequent flyer between several NBA teams and their G League affiliates during his professional basketball tenure.
However, it was his most recent stint as a member of the Toronto Raptors that effectively ended his NBA career. It will also likely see him do prison time once the betting scandal for which he has pleaded guilty is adjudicated. The scandal began on January 26th when he conspired with others to pull himself out of a game early against the LA Clippers, which would trigger winning wagers on any “under” bets with him as the featured player prop.
The ruse was completed after Porter told team officials that he had reaggravated an eye injury and could not continue to play. After a stat sheet that saw Porter score no points with one assist and three rebounds, one co-conspirator won $40,000 on a $7000 four-leg parlay consisting of Porter props while another cashed a $75,000 ticket by betting under Porter’s assists, 3-pointers and steals totals.
The fix was in, but a March 20th game against the Sacramento Kings was when the conspiracy unraveled. Porter played a total of only three minutes in that contest, scoring no points and getting no assists with only three rebounds before checking himself out of the game, complaining he was feeling ill. Porter’s performance, or lack thereof, saw his co-conspirators net $1 million, which drew the attention of industry watchdog U.S. Integrity and precipitated the league’s investigation and subsequent lifetime ban for Porter. It was ultimately turned over to law enforcement authorities as a criminal action.
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