David Zalubowski/AP
Ex-NBA player Jontay Porter — who was banned for life for betting on games — was reportedly urged to throw games to settle his gambling debt.
Porter, most recently a member of the Toronto Raptors, was banned in April after the league was informed suspicious gambling activity in multiple sportsbooks related to his player prop bets. The sportsbooks reported that the biggest money makers for specific dates were for the “under” on Porter’s props, meaning the bettors put money on his individual stats being under a given number. During those games, Porter sustained minor injuries and had to leave early.
An investigation revealed that Porter deliberately took himself out of games to hit those unders.
On Tuesday, federal prosecutors announced the arrest of 38-year-old Long Li Pham — also known as “Bruce” — a Brooklyn man who placed bets knowing Porter would throw the games. Pham was arrested at John F. Kennedy International Airport, where he was trying to board a one-way flight to Australia. He had more than $12,000 in cash and two cashier checks worth $80,000.
According to prosecutors, Porter told Pham and a group of co-conspirators when he going to take himself out of games early. This was done after the co-conspirators encouraged him to do so in order to clear his “large” gambling debts.
As a result of one game in which Porter left early after telling coaches he was sick, Pham and the co-conspirators netted more than $1 million in profits.
When Porter was informed of his lifetime ban from the NBA, he reportedly texted the group that they “might just get hit [with] a RICO.” He then asked if they deleted all the evidence from their phones.
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