NEW YORK — Defense lawyers declined to comment Wednesday on the case against a New York man charged in the sports betting scandal that led to former NBA player Jontay Porter's banishment from the league.
His lawyer, Michael Soshnick, also declined to say whether his client, Long Phi Pham, knew the former Toronto Raptors forward who was banned by the NBA in April. A league investigation found that the player had tipped off bettors about his health and then missed at least one game due to illness to collect some of the bets. Porter also bet on NBA games he was not playing, the league said.
Pham and three co-defendants, whose names are withheld in the Brooklyn federal court indictment, are charged with conspiring to defraud sports betting companies.
According to the indictment, the conspirators placed bets after receiving information from an NBA player (identified in the indictment only as “Player 1”) that the NBA planned to limit him to two games due to illness or injury. The conspirators bet that the player would perform below expectations and won when the player was removed from the game after just a few minutes, the indictment states.
The game dates and other details match those cited in the NBA's investigation of Porter, and the complaint includes citations from the NBA's press release about it.
Porter did not comment when the NBA's findings were released. Current contact information for Porter, his agent or other representatives could not immediately be found. Prosecutors declined to comment on whether they were investigating him.
Pham, who also goes by his first name, Bruce, and whose lawyer said he is a professional poker player, was arrested Monday as he was preparing to board a flight to Australia with about $12,000 in cash, authorities said.
Pham's lawyers said the trip to the poker tournament was planned, but prosecutors argued it was an attempt by Pham to flee the United States after he learned of the investigation just days before.
“I'll see if you can pick me up at the airport when I try to leave the country,” Pham texted an acquaintance, according to Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Weintraub, who argued against granting bail to Pham on Wednesday.
U.S. District Judge Cheryl Pollack agreed to release him to home detention on $750,000 bail, with conditions including that he be fitted with an ankle monitor, that four relatives and one friend sign the bail bond, and that two provide housing.
But Pollack tweeted, “I sit here today with serious doubts that I may be making a big mistake.”
Pham will remain in custody until at least Thursday, pending the completion of paperwork and other procedures.
“My client will comply with all conditions of his release,” Soshnick said outside court.
