A man accused of working with Jontay Porter to place prop bets on NBA games has been arrested. Porter had accumulated a large gambling debt at the beginning of the year, and he was encouraged to pay off the debt by throwing the game.
Long P. Pham, 38, also known as Bruce, was arrested Monday at John F. Kennedy International Airport while trying to board a flight to Australia on a one-way ticket, according to a complaint filed in Brooklyn federal court.
Porter told Pham that he would leave the game against the Los Angeles Clippers early on January 26, claiming he was injured.
Porter reportedly notified his co-conspirators via the Telegram group chat app before a game against the Sacramento Kings on March 20, telling them he was sick and insisting he had to leave the game early.
The NBA permanently banned Porter on April 4.
The federal government is seeking three additional people who remain at large.
