A sixth person has been arrested in connection with the betting scheme which saw Jontay Porter banned for life from the NBA.
Porter, who himself faces criminal charges, was kicked out of the NBA after it was revealed he was betting on the NBA and involved in a scheme in which conspirators would profit from information provided by him.
Court documents revealed this week that Porter sent text messages to people involved in the scheme, with one saying that betting on his “under” propositions would bring in “big numbers.”
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Jontay Porter, #34 of the Toronto Raptors, warms up before the game against the Portland Trail Blazers at Moda Center on March 9, 2024 in Portland, Oregon. (Alika Jenner/Getty Images)
“No blocking, no stealing. I’m going to play a first 2-3 minutes off the bench, then when I’m subbed tell them my eyes are killing me again,” Porter reportedly texted Shane Hennen , the last person arrested, on January 26 before his Toronto Raptors played a game.
Hennen was arrested Sunday at a Las Vegas airport before boarding a one-way flight to Colombia.
Earlier this past January, Porter also texted: “I went back to the locker room to get monitored. I don’t know if I’m going to play much more. I’m not starting the second half. But if it is Garbage time, I’ll shoot a million shots.”
Porter pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and faces more than 20 years in prison, although prosecutors estimate he will be sentenced to about four years. His sentencing will take place on May 20.
In court in July, Porter testified that he agreed to withdraw early from the games to free himself from heavy gambling debts so that he and his co-conspirators could win bets on his performance.
Jontay Porter, #34 of the Toronto Raptors, fights for a rebound with Lindy Waters III, #43, of the Oklahoma City Thunder during the 2023-2024 NBA regular season game between the Toronto Raptors and the Thunder from Oklahoma City to Toronto on March 22, 2024. (Zou Zheng/Xinhua via Getty Images)
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“I know what I did was wrong, illegal, and I am deeply sorry,” he said.
Porter was banned for life on April 17 after the NBA discovered through 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 either with the Raptors or his G League team, Raptors 905, he placed “at least 13 bets on NBA games using an associate’s betting account.
Porter’s attorney, Jeff Jensen, said in June that Porter was “overwhelmed by a gambling addiction” but was receiving treatment and cooperating with law enforcement.
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, Coban, began serving a six-year sentence in April for a fatal drunken driving crash. Another brother, Michael, is a pillar of the Denver Nuggets.
