Jontay Porter, a former player for the Toronto Raptors, pleaded guilty in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York to charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Federal authorities have implicated four other individuals in the sports betting scandal.
Federal prosecutors insist the athlete must spend 41-51 months in prison and pay more than $450,000 in fines and fees. In the meantime, according to the New York Post, Porter is free on bail in the amount of $250,000. The money was contributed by the wife and mother of the accused.
Let's not forget that the NBA banned Porter for life in April, shortly after reports surfaced that he may have breached betting regulations. He allegedly participated in two fixed games to help his associates win at reduced odds. It's important to understand that NBA athletes are permitted to gamble, but they cannot wager on basketball games.
Media reports indicate that as a result of this fraudulent scheme, the players collectively gained over a million dollars. All four individuals involved are currently facing federal charges for conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
Porter may potentially face charges in addition to those from the US. According to a report by ESPN on June 18, Ontario Provincial Police are investigating an illegal gambling operation linked to a former basketball player, although Porter has not been formally accused of any wrongdoing at this time.
Porter became the first of three North American professional athletes to be banned for life. The second was football player, three-time CFL Gray Cup winner Sean Lemon. He was sanctioned for violating the league's gambling policy. And in June, Major League Baseball expelled San Diego Padres player Tucupita Marcano for betting on baseball.
