A New York man was charged Tuesday in a sports betting scheme seven weeks after the NBA banned Jontay Porter from its league for life . The former Toronto Raptors player's name is not in the court complaint, which refers to a "Player 1," but the specifics mirror those from the NBA's investigation this spring.
Porter, 24, was banned from the league on April 17 for violating its gaming rules. An investigation by the NBA found that Porter disclosed confidential information to sports bettors, limited his participation in multiple games for betting purposes, and bet on NBA games.
The league acknowledged it was sharing information about the matter with federal prosecutors. Brooklyn federal prosecutors declined to comment on whether Porter is under investigation.
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The complaint claims the player communicated directly with defendant Long Phi Pham and alleged co-defendants whose names are redacted. The player warned Pham and others on April 4 that they “might just get hit w a rico,” apparently referencing the common acronym for a federal racketeering charge.
They also asked whether they had deleted “all the stuff” from their phones, according to the complaint. The player euphemistically called taking himself out of games early, claiming illness or injury, doing a “special,” per the complaint.
“If I don’t do a special with your terms. Then it’s up. And u hate me and if I don’t get u 8k by Friday you’re coming to Toronto to beat me up,” the player said in an encrypted message early this year, according to the complaint.
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Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York , announced the arrest and charge alongside James Smith, Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office ( FBI ). Peace stated: “Whether on the court or in the casino, every point matters.
"As alleged, the defendant and his co-conspirators, as well as an NBA player, participated in a brazen, illegal betting scheme that had a corrupting influence on two games and numerous bets. This prosecution serves as a warning that fraud and dishonesty in professional sports will not be tolerated and those who engage in this flagrant flouting of the law will be prosecuted.”
Smith added, naming the defendant, who is also known as “Bruce:” "Long Phi Pham allegedly participated in a conspiracy to defraud an online sports betting website, encouraging an NBA player to unnecessarily withdraw himself from select games in an attempt to profit from personal bets made with this advanced, insider knowledge.
"These alleged actions violated the prohibition of using non-public information - eliminating the risk associated with the unpredictable nature of the betting world – an unfair advantage not afforded to other bettors.
"There is no 'over/under' when intentionally circumventing rules for financial gain, the FBI remains vigilant in its investigations of those who engage in such fraudulent conspiracies."
In mid-April, NBA commissioner Adam Silver said: “There is nothing more important than protecting the integrity of NBA competition for our fans, our teams and everyone associated with our sport, which is why Jontay Porter’s blatant violations of our gaming rules are being met with the most severe punishment.”
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