Canadian authorities open criminal investigation into Jontay Porter betting scandal

A criminal investigation into the betting scandal that caused Toronto Raptors forward Jontay Porter to be banned for life from NBA is being opened by Canadian authorities.

According to ESPN's David Purdum, the Ontario Provincial Police's Investigation and Enforcement Bureau decided an investigation was needed after an assessment was done related to "online betting irregularities from the Jan. 26 and March 20 Raptors games."

The NBA's investigation found that Porter purposely limited his participation in the Raptors' March 20 game against the Sacramento Kings specifically to influence the outcome of one or more bets on his performance. Against the Brooklyn Nets, Porter claimed he felt ill after playing just three minutes.

The NBA also found that prior to the game, Porter disclosed confidential information about his health status to "an individual he knew to be an NBA bettor." A different individual associated with Porter also bet that Porter would underperform March 20 as part of an $80,000 parlay the bettor placed with an online sports book.

From January through March 2024, while traveling with the Raptors and the Raptors' G League team, Porter placed at least 13 bets on NBA games using someone else's betting account. These bets ranged from $15 to $22,000 for a total of $54,094. The total payout from these bets was $76,059, resulting in winnings of $21,965. None of the bets involved a game in which Porter played, but he did bet on the Raptors to lose as part of three different parlay bets. All three bets lost.

"Jontay is a good young man with strong faith that will get him through this. He was in over his head due to a gambling addiction," read a statement last week from Porter's attorney Jeff Jensen. "He is undergoing treatment and has been fully cooperative with law enforcement."

A fourth person connected to the scandal was arrested as 32-year-old Ammar Awawdeh turned himself in earlier this month. Three co-defendants were also taken in, including Long Phi Pham, who was apprehended while attempting to board a flight to Australia with a one-way ticket at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York. He reportedly had $12,000 in cash, two cashier's checks totaling $80,000, betting slips and three cell phones on his person.

Ontario authorities said they will connect with U.S. federal investigators on the Porter case as the investigation continues.

No charges have been filed against Porter.