Editor’s Note: Gambling problems aren’t only about losing money. They occur on a continuum, and can affect a person’s whole life. To learn more about developing a healthy relationship to gambling, and to find resources for support, click here.
NEW YORK — A Pennsylvania man pleaded guilty Wednesday in a sports betting scheme that ended Toronto Raptors forward Jontay Porter’s NBA career.
With Mahmud Mollah ‘s plea Wednesday, three people — including Porter — have now publicly admitted their roles in the scandal. It worked like this: The player withdrew early from games so that tipped-off gamblers could win wagers that he would score fewer points than sportsbooks expected.
Porter, Mollah and Long Phi Pham have pleaded guilty to wire fraud conspiracy. Two other men also have been charged and haven’t entered any pleas.
Mollah, of Lansdale, Pennsylvania, is set to be sentenced on May 2 in a federal court in Brooklyn. He could face anything from a no-jail punishment to 20 years in prison.
His attorney, Andrew Levin, declined to comment Wednesday.
Porter played only briefly and scored no points in games on Jan. 26 and March 20 before pulling himself out of play, saying he was injured or ill.
According to a court complaint, Mollah used his knowledge of Porter’s March 20 plans to place bets that would have netted over $1 million to be split among the conspirators, including a 24 per cent share to the player. But a betting company got suspicious and stopped Mollah from collecting most of the money.
The NBA ultimately investigated and banned Porter for life. He later told a court that he participated in the scam “to get out from under large gambling debts.”
Porter is awaiting sentencing Dec. 18.