NBA Spot-Fixing Probe Leads to Fourth Arrest of Jontay Porter Associate
A fourth suspect, Ammar Awawdeh from New York City, has surrendered to authorities in a tie to the NBA fix-it scandal with ex-Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter. He is believed to have joined forces with three other men who were captured last week. The quartet is accused of forming a plot with Porter to boost income from Raptors games by betting on the under for his performance, knowing he'd be leaving early.
Court reports claim that Porter entered the shady deal due to considerable gambling debts owed to the group. This year in April, he received a lifetime ban from the NBA for illegally gambling.
Awawdeh communicated with Porter via Telegram. In early '24, he warned him, stating bluntly, "Screenshot this ... Me Ammar Awawdeh born 7/23.1991 is forcing you to do this."
Replying to Awawdeh's threat, Porter bluntly retorted, "If I don't do a 'special' in accordance with your demands, then it's over. And you hate me and if I don't get you $8k by Friday, you'll be in Toronto to kick my butt."
$1.27M Gains
These four now face wire fraud charges, with Awawdeh's comrades allegedly being Timothy McCormack, Mahmud Mollah, and Long "Bruce" Phi Pham. The three suspects were apprehended last week, Phi Pham at the airport as he made a run for Australia.
The crew reportedly earned US$1,272,875 by betting on two games where Porter left prematurely, citing injury. The Raptors lost both games on January 26, pitted against the LA Clippers, and on March 20 against the Sacramento Kings.
Over a dozen bets were placed through DraftKings and FanDuel on these games, splitting between online and in-person wagers at a unspecified Atlantic City gambling place.
Huge windfall results from such a small niche in the game raised alarms for match-fixing. Several betting records were flagged, prompting DraftKings and FanDuel to swiftly suspend one account. The operators subsequently alerted the NBA, which has both of them as official betting partners.
'In Over His Head'
On the 4th of April, the day he was BDoN, Porter messaged the group, cautioning them, "You may be facing a Rico - Racketeering Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act investigation." He also ordered them to remove their phone records.
Porter's attorney publicly addressed the media on Friday, stating, "He's a good young man of deep devotion that will carry him through this trying phase. He was too immersed in his gambling addiction."
The extent of Porter's legal consequences is yet to be determined.
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