Jontay Porter at the Toronto Raptors presentation. GETTY IMAGES.

Bad news for Jontay Porter. The former Toronto Raptors player is to be charged with federal charges after being involved in a betting scandal that led to his lifetime ban from the NBA last April.



At that time, an internal investigation concluded that the center had placed bets on several National Basketball Association games - behavior that violates the professional league's regulations - and also provided confidential information to other bettors. The legal consequences of this behavior are now on the table.

The federal prosecutor's office in Brooklyn presented what is known as an "information sheet" in New York courts this Wednesday, detailing the legal information and procedures related to the case. While the document does not specify the exact charges against Porter or the date of his appearance, it does show his collaboration with four other individuals accused of defrauding an online sports betting company.

The prosecution relies on the NBA's investigation, which found that prior to the game between the Raptors and the Sacramento Kings on March 20, the player disclosed confidential information about his poor health to a bettor. The bettor used this information to invest $80,000 (€74.000) on an online platform, betting that Porter would have a poor performance in that game. In fact, Porter played only three minutes, citing feeling unwell. The profits could have exceeded $1 million (€930,000).


Jontay Porter playing for the Toronto Raptors. GETTY IMAGES.
Jontay Porter playing for the Toronto Raptors. GETTY IMAGES.



In addition to this, it has been revealed that between January and March, Porter participated in a minimum of 13 bets on NBA games, always using an acquaintance's account. In total, he invested $54,094 (€50,000), received $76,059 (€70,426) in returns, and made a profit of $21,965 (€20,342).

"There is nothing more important than protecting the integrity of the competition for our fans, our teams, and all associated with our sport, so Jontay Porter's flagrant violations of our rules are being met with the severest punishment," said NBA Commissioner Adam Silver.

The former player was always a fairly discreet figure in the league, having played only 37 games in the 2020-2021 and 2023-2024 seasons. Despite his low profile, Porter earned around $2 million (€1.85 million) during his time with the Memphis Grizzlies and the Toronto Raptors.