A Brooklyn man pleaded guilty Wednesday in connection with the sports betting scheme involving Jontay Porter, the former Toronto Raptors player who was banned from the NBA and pleaded guilty to a federal conspiracy charge.
Long Phi Pham, also known as Bruce, pleaded guilty to a charge of wire fraud conspiracy at a hearing in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York. Three other men were charged in the plot.
Pham was released on $750,000 bond while he awaits sentencing scheduled for April 25, 2025. He could face up to 20 years in prison, according to the U.S. Attorney’s office.
Prosecutors alleged that Pham and his co-conspirators bet on Porter’s performance in two Raptors games, knowing that Porter planned to retire from the game. Porter left a Jan. 26 game against the LA Clippers after playing just four minutes, claiming he aggravated an eye injury, according to a criminal complaint. As a result, a co-conspirator won $40,250.
Before a game against the Sacramento Kings on March 20, Pham and his co-conspirators discussed in a Telegram group chat that Porter would again exit early, claiming he was feeling sick, according to the criminal complaint.
Pham and his co-conspirators met at a casino in Atlantic City and placed several bets on Porter, who removed himself from the March game after playing just three minutes and recording zero points, three rebounds and no assists, according to the filing.
Pham and his co-conspirators earned more than $1 million in profits in total, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
On April 4, Porter wrote in a group chat with the conspirators that they “might just get hit wa rico,” referring to a racketeering charge, and asked if the group chat participants had “deleted.”[d] all items” from their personal cell phones, according to the complaint.
Pham, 38, was arrested at JFK airport in New York in June while trying to board a flight to Australia on a one-way ticket, according to the criminal complaint.
Porter was banned by the NBA on April 17 following an investigation. He pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud on July 10 and is scheduled to be sentenced on December 18.
