The initial defendant linked to the recent NBA betting scandal was sentenced this week in New York to two years behind bars.
Authorities say Timothy McCormack defrauded sportsbooks by leveraging confidential information to place substantial wagers. The conspiracy came to light in October, leading to the arrests of Miami Heat point guard Terry Rozier and former NBA journeyman and Cleveland Cavaliers assistant coach Damon Jones.
McCormack admitted that his participation in the scheme stemmed from a lifelong gambling addiction. In Brooklyn court, Judge LaShann DeArcy Hall acknowledged his struggles while handing down the sentence.
“He has an addiction,” she noted. “But I do not believe Mr. McCormack’s actions define who he is.”
Undermining Sports Integrity
Despite this, Judge Hall emphasized that McCormack’s actions compromised the integrity of sports, which fans expect to remain fair.
“This is undoubtedly a serious offense,” she stated. “Sports are important, not just to me personally, but to society at large.”
McCormack faced a potential sentence of up to four years. Prosecutors characterized him as a participant rather than a ringleader, while defense attorneys had argued for a non-custodial sentence.
The FBI claims that Rozier and others accessed confidential information from NBA players and coaches to manipulate outcomes for fees or a share of gambling profits.
Scope of the Scheme
Altogether, 34 individuals were arrested in a multi-state investigation spanning 11 states, which also uncovered a high-stakes poker cheating ring.
Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups was among those arrested in connection with the poker operation, and Jones is alleged to have been involved in both schemes.
Of the total arrests, six suspects were linked to the NBA betting case, while 31 were implicated in the poker scandal. Rozier, Jones, and Billups have all pleaded not guilty.
The sports betting conspiracy is also connected to former Toronto Raptors forward Jontay Porter, who admitted in federal court to conspiracy to commit wire fraud in an effort to manipulate stats for gamblers in 2024. He has also received a lifetime ban from the NBA.
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