A man accused of working with Jontay Porter to place prop bets on NBA games has been arrested. Porter had accumulated large gambling debts in the beginning of the year and was encouraged to clear those debts by throwing games.
Long Phi Pham, 38, also known as “Bruce,” was arrested on Monday while trying to board a flight from John F. Kennedy International Airport to Australia on a one-way ticket, according to a complaint filed in Brooklyn federal court.
Porter allegedly told Pham that he was going to take himself out early from the Jan. 26 game against the Los Angeles Clippers, claiming he was injured, the feds said.
Porter allegedly communicated with the group of co-conspirators through the Telegram group chat app when he notified them before a game on March 20 against the Sacramento Kings, claiming that going to say he was sick to leave a game early.
The NBA banned Porter for life on April 4th.
The feds are looking for three additional people who remain at-large.