In a recent development, former Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter is expected to face a federal felony charge connected to a sports betting scandal that resulted in his lifetime ban from the NBA, according to court papers filed by federal prosecutors in Brooklyn.

Although the specific charge or charges have not been specified in the document, it is clear that the case is linked to an ongoing prosecution involving four individuals accused of scheming to profit from inside information provided by a player about his plans to exit two games early.

Porter's attorney, Jeff Jensen, based in St. Louis, has acknowledged that his client was "in over his head due to a gambling addiction" but has been receiving treatment and cooperating with law enforcement.

An NBA investigation conducted in April revealed that Porter had been tipping off bettors about his health status and subsequently claiming illness to exit games early, resulting in favorable outcomes for those who had placed bets on his underperformance. The league also discovered that Porter had been gambling on NBA games in which he did not participate, including betting against his own team.

The four men charged last month, identified as Ammar Awawdeh, Timothy McCormack, Mahmud Mollah, and Long Phi Pham, appeared in court and were released on various bond amounts. They face charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. The complaint against them states that they had prior knowledge of a player's plans and used it to place winning bets on his performance.

The complaint, filed in early June, referred to the player as "Player 1," and the details provided matched the NBA's investigation into Porter. It revealed that the athlete owed "significant gambling debts" to Awawdeh, who then encouraged him to intentionally exit games so that bettors who were aware of the scheme could profit.

In encrypted messages, the player expressed concern about the debt, indicating that if he failed to meet Awawdeh's terms, he would face physical harm. The complaint also mentioned that the player disclosed his intention to exit games early on specific dates, January 26 and March 20, to the already-charged defendants.

Porter fulfilled his plan by briefly appearing in both games before leaving the court, citing injury or illness. His performance in terms of points, rebounds, and assists fell below the betting line, resulting in successful payouts for Mollah, McCormack, and Awawdeh's relative, who had bet on the "under." However, a betting company intervened, preventing Mollah from collecting most of his winnings amounting to over $1 million from the March 20 game.

As the NBA and other entities began investigating, the player messaged Pham, Mollah, and Awawdeh in early April, suggesting that they may face charges related to racketeering and inquiring about the deletion of incriminating evidence from their phones.

The complaint disclosed that the player had cooperated with authorities in the hopes of receiving leniency during sentencing, although the timing of these conversations remains undisclosed.

Porter, who earned a salary of approximately $410,000 this year, played in 26 games for the Toronto Raptors this season, with an average of 4.4 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 2.3 assists. He had also played 11 games for the Memphis Grizzlies during the 2020-21 season.

It is yet to be determined when the court date regarding Porter's federal felony charge will take place. The outcome of this case will have significant implications for both Porter's future in professional basketball and the ongoing efforts to combat sports betting scandals within the NBA.