The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) stated on Tuesday that the Investigation and Enforcement Bureau deemed it necessary to launch a criminal investigation after conducting a thorough assessment of available information regarding "online betting irregularities" from two Raptors games, specifically the matches held on January 26th and March 20th.

According to reports, four individuals have already been charged with wire fraud by U.S. authorities in New York in connection with placing prop bets on Porter's statistics during the mentioned games against the Los Angeles Clippers and the Sacramento Kings on January 26th and March 20th respectively. It is important to note that no charges have been announced against Porter himself as of Tuesday.

Craig Abrams, spokesperson for the OPP, confirmed that they are aware of the ongoing investigation being conducted by U.S. federal authorities and have plans to collaborate with them as the investigation progresses further. Porter has already faced consequences from the National Basketball Association (NBA), as Commissioner Adam Silver handed him a ban from the league on April 17th. The ban was a result of the league's investigation, which found that Porter had disclosed personal health information to known bettors, engaged in NBA betting, and limited his participation in the March 20th game against the Kings.

During the course of the scandal, multiple sportsbooks reported receiving highly unusual betting activity, particularly on the under regarding Porter's points, rebounds, 3-pointers, and assists in the aforementioned games. One such instance was an $80,000 parlay bet, which could have potentially yielded a staggering sum of approximately $1.1 million.

In response to the unfolding events, Porter's attorney, Jeff Jensen, issued a statement last week stating that Porter acknowledges his wrongdoing and is currently undergoing treatment for a gambling addiction. Jensen emphasized that Porter has been fully cooperative with law enforcement throughout the process and expressed confidence that his client's faith will help him navigate through this challenging period.

As the criminal investigation becomes more extensive, further developments are expected to unfold, shedding more light on the betting scandal and its potential ramifications on both Porter's future and the reputation of the former Toronto Raptors player.