Former NBA forward Jontay Porter pleaded guilty Wednesday to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, according to David Payne Purdum of ESPN.
Porter, 24, entered his plea at his arraignment in a New York federal court as part of the betting scandal that got him a lifetime ban from the NBA back in April. He is set to be released on a $250,000 bond. Porter’s sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 18. Porter could face up to three and half to four years in prison, per Jennifer Peltz of the Associated Press.
“I know what I did was wrong, unlawful, and I am deeply sorry,” Porter said.
The issue stemmed from prop bets placed on Porter from Jan. 26 to March 20. NBA officials found that Porter “disclosed confidential information to sports bettors, limited his own participation in one or more games for betting purposes and bet on NBA games.”
According to the league’s initial findings, while traveling with the Toronto Raptors or Raptors 905, the NBA G League affiliate, Porter placed at least 13 bets on NBA games using an associate’s online betting account. These bets ranged in size from $15 to $22,000, for a total of $54,094. The total payout from these bets was $76,059, resulting in net winnings of $21,965. None of the bets involved any game in which Porter played. Three of the bets were multi-game parlay bets that included one Raptors game, in which Porter bet that the Raptors would lose. All three bets lost.
More details on Jontay Porter federal court case
Four other men have been arraigned on a charge of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. They have yet to enter any pleas. The four men are charged with scheming to profit off tips that an NBA player would exit two games early. Per the court complaint filed in June, the four men or their relatives used the beforehand knowledge to place bets that the player would perform poorly in those games.
“In court Wednesday, Porter said he agreed to withdraw early from games to get out from under large gambling debts so he and co-conspirators could win bets on his performance,” Peltz wrote.
Beginning in a Jan. 26 matchup against the Los Angeles Clippers, there was an increased amount of bets on the under for Porter’s props. They were set at 5.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 0.5 3-pointers. Porter played only four minutes that night before leaving the game with a reaggravation of an eye injury he suffered four days earlier against the Memphis Grizzlies. He hit the under on all of his props. Porter returned to the lineup two days later and played 19 minutes, recording 12 points and seven rebounds.
Another game in question is the March 20 tilt versus the Phoenix Suns. Porter entered the contest with over/unders set at 7.5 points and 5.5 rebounds. He played three minutes before leaving the game with an illness and never returning. Once again, the under on Porter’s props were the No. 1 winner the next day.
Porter, the former Missouri standout, suited up in 37 games across four seasons in the NBA. He posted averages of 3.7 points, 2.6 rebounds and 1.6 assists.
On3’s Nikki Chavanelle contributed to this report.
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