NEW YORK — Two additional defendants have been charged in connection with a gambling scheme that resulted in the lifetime ban of former Toronto Raptors forward Jontay Porter from the National Basketball Association (NBA).
According to court documents released on Thursday, Mahmud Mollah and Timothy McCormack conspired with previously charged Long Phi Pham to place bets on Porter’s performance in two games, knowing that Porter intended to quit early due to alleged health reasons.
Porter, referred to as “Player 1” in the criminal complaint, played only a few minutes in a January 26 game against the Los Angeles Clippers before citing an eye injury, and similarly played a brief time in a March 20 game against the Sacramento Kings before claiming illness. The specifics of the complaint align with details about Porter, including the NBA’s lifetime ban imposed on April 17.
Prosecutors allege that Mollah, of Lansdale, Pennsylvania, profited $1.13 million from “under” prop bets on the March 20 game, while McCormack, of Manhattan, collected over $69,000 from bets on both games. A surveillance photo from March 20 shows Mollah, McCormack, and Pham together in a restaurant at an Atlantic City, New Jersey casino that accepted bets for the Raptors game that day.
Mollah’s lawyer has not provided immediate comment, while McCormack’s lawyer, Jeffrey Chartier, stated, “No case is a slam dunk. As discovery moves forward we’ll learn more about what the government has to substantiate its claims.”
Both defendants were granted bail of $50,000 each by a federal judge. Pham, who was previously charged, had his bail set at $750,000 despite prosecutors’ recommendation for detention. Pham was apprehended at John F. Kennedy International Airport while attempting to board a flight to Australia on a one-way ticket.
