Former Toronto Raptors center Jontay Porter has pleaded guilty on Wednesday in federal court to a conspiracy to commit wire fraud. This case, which involved sports betting, led to Porter's ban from the NBA and the subsequent charges against four other individuals. The guilty plea was entered at the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of New York in Brooklyn.

Porter was released on a $250,000 bond, signed by his mother and his wife, following his plea. His sentencing has been scheduled for December 18th. While conspiracy to commit wire fraud carries a maximum sentence of 20 years, based on the sentencing guidelines, Porter is likely to face a prison term ranging from 41 to 51 months.

The sports gambling scandal that resulted in Porter's ban from the NBA occurred in January and March of this year, while he was playing for the Toronto Raptors. Porter was found to have manipulated his performance and availability during these games, enabling others to win bets on the under for prop bets involving him. As a result, he became the first active player or coach to be expelled from the NBA for gambling since Jack Molinas in 1954.

It is worth noting that the NBA conducted its own investigation and found evidence suggesting that Porter had also bet on NBA games. However, he was not named as a defendant in the federal case brought against four men last month. These individuals were charged with conspiracy to defraud a sports betting company, and Porter, referred to as "Player 1," was described in the complaint as being instrumental in carrying out the fraudulent activities.

According to the complaint, Porter had accumulated significant gambling debts and agreed to deliberately remove himself from games early, claiming injury or ailment. This allowed the individuals involved in the conspiracy to win their bets on Porter's performance. In one instance, a man wagered $80,000 on a parlay of bets involving Porter and won a staggering $1.1 million.

As the legal process unfolds, Porter's guilty plea brings this unfortunate episode in his NBA career to a new chapter. The sentencing hearing in December will determine the duration of his prison term and potentially serve as a cautionary tale for professional athletes entangled in the web of illegal gambling activities.