Two-Year Prison Sentence for Bettor Who Used NBA Insider Information

Prosecutors had sought a four-year sentence for what they described as “cold, hard fraud.” McCormack told the court he has struggled with gambling addiction for over half his life. His attorney, Jeffrey Chartier, wanted no prison sentence, highlighting how his client was a “degenerate gambler.”

Chartier also pointed to the irony that prosecutors portrayed sportsbooks as victims, even though they profited from people like his client.

McCormack placed bets on games involving former Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter, who is now serving a lifetime ban from the sport. He also wagered on games involving Miami Heat point guard Terry Rozier, who remains charged in connection with the case.

McCormack and one of his co-defendants also placed bets on the Portland Trail Blazers losing a game after learning that the team was resting players to improve its draft position.

He has until April 20 to report to prison. The judge ordered him not to gamble during his 12-month supervised release.

Forcing Porter to Exit Games Early

Federal prosecutors charged McCormack in the Porter case in June 2024. He was part of a group of bettors who had placed a series of bets with winnings totaling over $1 million on Porter’s performance.

Porter had accumulated gambling debts with them, which is why they were able to convince him to leave games early. The Raptors player told Long Phi Pham that he intended to exit a game early on January 26 against the Los Angeles Clippers and on March 20 against the Sacramento Kings.

McCormack had placed a $7,000 parlay on Porter’s three-pointers, steals, and assists, winning $33,250 on the January game. Mahmud Mollad made a $1.04 million profit from an $80,000 parlay on Porter’s blocks, steals, three-pointers, rebounds, and assists markets for the March game.

Two sportsbooks reported the suspicious activity within 24 hours of the second game in question to the International Betting Integrity Association (IBIA). The Association then notified the FBI. The NBA was also made aware and began its own probe into Porter.

Prosecutors did not name the sportsbooks in court filings. They’ve only said that two sportsbooks have been NBA co-partners since 2021, a description corresponding to DraftKings and FanDuel.

Other Instances of Using Insider Information

McCormack and Long Phi Pham worked closely together to place bets on other games using insider information. The pair placed about $41,000 worth of wagers at a retail sportsbook in New Jersey and online ahead of the March 23, 2023, game between the Charlotte Hornets and the New Orleans Pelicans. They made several straight and parlay wagers on Terry Rozier unders.

McCormack had received two payments totaling about $40,000 through a peer-to-peer mobile payment platform in the hours leading up to this activity. This money was used to place the Rozier wagers.

Prosecutors allege that Rozier told his friend Deniro Laster that he was going to intentionally exit the game in the first quarter by faking an injury. Laster then sold this insider information to several defendants in the case in exchange for $100,000 of the expected winnings.

Text messages secured by the prosecutors show this plan. Rozier played less than ten minutes and significantly underperformed his pregame averages of points, assists, and three-pointers.

Rozier still maintains his innocence. He pleaded not guilty in December to charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering. He is on unpaid leave from the NBA and is out on a $3 million bond.

The following day, McCormack and Pham placed bets against the Portland Trail Blazers after receiving insider information. According to prosecutors, the information enabled the pair to place $32,000 in wagers through two online sportsbooks before the lineup became public on March 24, 2023.

Closing the Book on the Porter Scandal

The Jontay Porter aspect of this case is winding down now. He pleaded guilty in July 2024 to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Porter had placed 13 bets on his own prop bets through a friend’s online betting account. His sentencing has been postponed several times, with no 2026 date publicly set yet.

Three other defendants, Long Phi Pham, Mahmud Mollad, and Ammar Awadeh, also pleaded guilty and await sentencing.

McCormack’s sentence marks the first concrete penalty in a case that has already reshaped league oversight, sportsbook monitoring practices, and the broader conversation around integrity risks tied to legalized sports betting. It arrives at a time when public trust in the integrity of professional sports is declining, according to multiple surveys.