Jontay Porter, the former Toronto Raptors player, was handed a lifetime ban from the NBA this season for violating its gambling policy. According to The Associated Press, Porter is facing felony charges in the United States related to the sports betting scandal that led to his ban. The Federal prosecutors named Porter in a criminal information sheet in Brooklyn, and Canadian authorities have also opened a criminal investigation into him.
Porter’s attorney stated that he has a gambling addiction and is cooperating with the investigation while seeking treatment for his addiction. While the document does not specify the exact charge or court date for Porter, it is connected to an existing case where four men were charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud. The NBA determined that Porter manipulated the results of games in which he played in order to influence bets made on his performance. He disclosed confidential information about his health to a known NBA bettor, placed bets on NBA games using someone else’s account, and bet on the Raptors while traveling with the team.
Porter was in his first season with the Raptors on a two-way deal before being suspended after appearing in 26 games. This incident serves as a reminder that gambling can have severe consequences and should be approached responsibly.