Jontay Porter Scandal Expands as Two More Charged in Betting Scheme

Editorial note: The defendants named in the federal indictment described below are presumed innocent until proven guilty. The charges have not been adjudicated. Quotations attributed to court filings reflect the prosecution's allegations and not findings of fact. Jontay Porter has not been criminally charged at the time of writing.

The betting scandal that led to former Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter being banned for life from the NBA is far from over. This week, two more men — Timothy McCormack and Mahmud Mollah — were charged in a widening federal wire fraud case tied to bets allegedly made with inside knowledge provided by a player intentionally underperforming.

They now join Long Phi Pham and an unidentified fourth individual, who is still redacted in the court documents, as co-defendants. While prosecutors haven't officially named Porter, the timeline and game details from court filings clearly match his case and his April 2024 lifetime ban from the league.

How the Scheme Worked

According to federal prosecutors, the setup was simple but bold: "Player 1" — widely believed to be Porter — would inform the group in advance that he planned to exit a game early, claiming injury or illness. This would allow them to bet on his performance falling under expectations — and cash in.

According to the indictment, Mollah is alleged to have made over $1.3 million on a March 20 game after Porter exited just 2 minutes and 43 seconds in, recording 2 rebounds and no points or assists. A perfect outcome for anyone betting the "under."

Back on January 26, Porter had also played only 4 minutes and 24 seconds against the Clippers before leaving, citing an aggravated eye issue. He finished with 0 points, 3 rebounds, and 1 assist — again, underperforming against betting lines. Prosecutors allege McCormack profited over $33,000 on that game; the allegation has not been proven.

Debts, Threats, and Encrypted Messages

Court documents reveal that by early 2024, Porter was deep in gambling debt. One of the co-defendants urged him to pull a "special" — code for exiting a game early to guarantee bet outcomes. In one encrypted message, Porter allegedly wrote:

"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 complaint alleges he subsequently exited the January 26 and March 20 games early; he has not been charged criminally.

Court documents allege that, after the NBA opened its inquiry, the player warned the group of potential RICO exposure and asked if devices had been wiped. These allegations have not been adjudicated.

NBA Response and Fallout

The NBA moved swiftly. Its internal investigation confirmed Porter had placed bets on league games (some against his own team), shared health info with bettors, and intentionally exited games to manipulate outcomes. Commissioner Adam Silver called his actions "blatant" and issued a lifetime ban.

League rules strictly forbid players, coaches, referees, or staff from betting on NBA games or related events such as drafts.

As of now, McCormack and Mollah were both released on $50,000 bond. Pham was granted home detention with electronic monitoring on a $750,000 bond. The fourth person remains unnamed and under investigation.