Self-proclaimed gambling addict Timothy McCormack received a two-year prison sentence on Wednesday as he became the first defendant to be sentenced for his role in a widespread conspiracy involving NBA players. terry rosier And Jonte Porter.
A federal judge in Brooklyn sentenced McCormack, who allegedly defrauded sports betting platforms by using non-public information to place highly profitable bets tied to the performances of NBA players in the scheme.
“I have struggled with gambling addiction for more than half my life,” McCormack said at his sentencing.
Judge LaShawn DeArcy Hall’s sentence was less than the four-year sentence sought by the government. The defense insisted on a sentence without jail time.
“He has an addiction,” De’Arcy Hall said. “I do not believe that Mr. McCormack’s conduct defines him.”
The judge also agreed with federal prosecutors that McCormack had undermined the integrity of the games.
“There’s no doubt this is a serious crime,” DeArcy Hall said. “Sports matter to me as an individual as much as it should to society.”
Prosecutor David Berman acknowledged that McCormack was “not as guilty as some of his co-conspirators” but said he contributed to the “cold, callous fraud.”
“Without people like the defendant, these schemes could not work,” Berman told the judge.
Rozier, who is on unpaid leave Miami Heat, pleaded not guilty Fraud and money laundering conspiracy charges were filed in December, alleging that he helped some friends win bets that revolved around his statistical performance in a game played in March 2023, when he was with. charlotte hornets.
He is free on $3 million bond and is not expected back in court until March.
Porter pleaded guilty to a federal conspiracy charge in 2024, admitting that he had planned to take himself out of the game for the sake of gambling. He has been banned from the NBA and awaits sentencing.
ABC News’ Aaron Katerski contributed to this report.
