A sixth person has been arrested in the betting scheme that saw Jontay Porter banned from the NBA for life.
Porter, who faces criminal charges, was banned from the NBA after it was revealed that he gambled on the NBA and was involved in a scheme in which conspirators would benefit from information provided by him.
Court documents revealed this week that Porter sent text messages to those involved in the scheme, with one saying that betting on his “under” proposals would generate “big numbers.”
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Jontay Porter, number 34 of the Toronto Raptors, warms up before the game against the Portland Trail Blazers at the Moda Center on March 9, 2024 in Portland, Oregon. (Alika Jenner/Getty Images)
“No blocks, no steals. I’m going to play the first 2 or 3 minutes off the bench and then when they substitute me tell them my eye is killing me again,” Porter is said to have texted Shane Hennen, the last person arrested. on January 26 before his Toronto Raptors played a game.
Hennen was arrested at a Las Vegas airport on Sunday before boarding a flight to Colombia.
Early last January, Porter also texted: “I went back to the locker room to get my eyes checked. I don’t know if I’m going to play much more. I won’t start the second half. But if it’s garbage time, I’ll shoot a million.” of shots”.
Porter pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and faces more than 20 years in prison, although prosecutors believe he will be sentenced to about four. His sentencing will be on May 20.
In court in July, Porter said he agreed to retire early from gambling to get out of large gambling debts so he and his co-conspirators could win bets on their performance.
Jontay Porter, #34 of Toronto Raptors, fights for a rebound with Lindy Waters III, #43, of Oklahoma City Thunder during the 2023-2024 NBA regular season game between Toronto Raptors and Oklahoma City Thunder in Toronto on May 22 March 2024. (Zou Zheng/Xinhua via Getty Images)
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“I know what I did was wrong, it was illegal and I am deeply sorry,” he said.
Porter received a lifetime ban on April 17 after the NBA found in an investigation that he had disclosed confidential information to sports bettors and bet on games in violation of league rules. The NBA prohibits players from betting on the league or any of its properties.
The NBA said it found that from January to March of this year, while Porter was with the Raptors or their G League team, Raptors 905, he placed “at least 13 bets on NBA games using the betting account of a associated”.
Porter’s attorney, Jeff Jensen, said in June that Porter had been “very lost due to a gambling addiction” but was receiving treatment and cooperating with authorities.
Jontay Porter, #34 of the Toronto Raptors, drives to the basket during the game against the Detroit Pistons on March 13, 2024 at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit. (Brian Sevald/NBAE via Getty Images)
One of Porter’s brothers, Cobán, began serving a six-year sentence in April for a fatal DUI accident. Another brother, Michael, is a pillar of the Denver Nuggets.
