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Former NBA center Jontay Porter is facing up to four years in federal prison for wire fraud after he pleaded guilty in July. The wire fraud charges stem from Porter attempting to fix NBA games, according to him, in order “to get out from under large gambling debts.”
Jontay Porter, the younger brother of Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr., was banned from the NBA for life last April. Four men, in addition to the NBA player, were charged in connection to the case. One alleged co-conspirator, Long Phi Pham, was previously arrested while trying to flee the country in June.
Another one, Shane Hennen, was arrested Sunday morning at Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas. As part of his arrest, texts from Jontay Porter and one of his co-conspirators have now been made public.
In one of the texts to Hennen, which was made during a Toronto Raptors game, Porter informed a co-conspirator that he was out of the game against the Memphis Grizzlies with an eye injury and didn’t expect to return.
“I went back to locker room to get eye checked on. Idk if imma play much more. I’m Not starting second half. But if it’s garbage time I will shoot a million shots,” he added, The Athletic reports.
A screenshot of those messages were sent to Hennen the next day, prosecutors said in the complaint. He then told two alleged co-conspirators hours before the Jan. 26 game that he would remove himself from the game that night with an injury. That information was then shared with Hennen. The man who sent the message to Hennen has pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
Another text message from Porter read, “Hit unders for the big numbers. I told [Co-Conspirator 2] no blocks no steals. I’m going to play first 2-3 minute stint off the bench then when I get subbed out tell them my eye killing me again.” Shane Hennen did hit the unders, as two betting slips with wagers on the under showed a $29,382 parlay on Porter’s rebounds and points that would pay out $103,387.
Hennen placed a $2,400 wager that Porter would not reach the over/under total for points in another game in which Jontay said he was planning to pull himself from the game. He won that bet as well.