Two men, Timothy McCormack and Mahmud Mollah, have been charged in connection with a sports betting scandal involving former Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter, prompting the NBA to ban him for life. The scandal involved wagers allegedly based on tips from Porter about his plans to exit games early. Prosecutors have not publicly named Porter in connection with the case, but details in court documents align with his banishment from the NBA in April. McCormack, Mollah, and two other defendants are accused of participating in a scheme to manipulate games for betting success.
The defendants allegedly made significant profits from these bets, with Mollah reportedly winning over $1 million from a game on March 20. McCormack also made substantial earnings from betting on games where Porter underperformed. The defendants are facing federal wire fraud charges in the case.
Porter is accused of tipping off bettors about his health to enable them to win bets against his performance. The NBA investigation found that he also bet against his own team in games where he didn’t play. The defendants allegedly orchestrated Porter’s exits from games to optimize their betting success. NBA players are strictly prohibited from betting on league games.
McCormack, Mollah, and Pham, another defendant, have been granted bail following their arraignments. The case has raised concerns about the integrity of sports betting and the involvement of athletes in gambling activities. Porter’s banishment from the NBA represents the seriousness with which the league views such actions.
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