Less than a week after pleading guilty to conspiracy charges, Jontay Porter has requested permission to relocate to Greece in order to continue his basketball career.
Less than a week after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, Jontay Porter has asked a federal judge to allow him to move to Greece to continue playing basketball.
Porter's NBA career ended abruptly on April 17 when he was issued a lifetime ban for gambling on the sport. The ban stems from a scheme that led to his federal charges.
Jontay Porter Pleads to Move to Greece Despite NBA Ban for Gambling
A court filing from Tuesday reveals that attorneys for Porter have requested a modification to his release conditions, allowing him to play for Promitheas BC in Greece.
In court last week, Porter admitted to withdrawing from games prematurely in order to settle substantial gambling debts and enable his co-conspirators to profit from bets on his performance.
Jontay Porter Pleads to Move to Greece Despite NBA Ban for Gambling
The NBA imposed a lifetime ban on Porter on April 17 after an investigation uncovered evidence of Porter disclosing confidential information to sports bettors and placing bets on games in violation of league rules. The league prohibits players from betting on the NBA or any of its properties.
According to the league, Porter disclosed confidential information regarding his health status to an individual known to be an NBA bettor prior to the Toronto Raptors' game on March 20. That individual subsequently placed an $80,000 parlay proposition bet, wagering that Porter would underperform in the game, with the potential to win $1.1 million.
Jontay Porter Pleads to Move to Greece Despite NBA Ban for Gambling
Porter played only three minutes in the March 20 game, citing illness. The $80,000 prop bet was frozen and not paid out.
The NBA investigation further revealed that Porter placed at least 13 bets on NBA games using an associate's betting account between January and March while he was a member of the Raptors or their G League affiliate, Raptors 905.
Porter's lawyer, Jeff Jensen, stated last month that Porter had been "in over his head due to a gambling addiction" but was receiving treatment and cooperating with law enforcement.
Porter has also admitted to gambling on NBA games in which he did not participate, including placing a bet against his own team.
According to a complaint, Porter was pressured to clear up gambling debts by pulling out of games so that bets on him underperforming would pay off.
Since the scandal broke, the NBA has reportedly held meetings to discuss ways to prevent similar incidents, including eliminating "under" proposition bets from sportsbooks.
Porter's sentencing is scheduled for December 18. He is likely to be ordered to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars in restitution and may face additional fines.
In the meantime, Porter is seeking permission to relocate to Greece and resume his basketball career. The outcome of his request remains to be seen.
