Lynnae is a journalist covering the intersection of technology, culture, and gambling. She has more than five years of experience as a writer and editor, with bylines at SlashGear and MakeUseOf. On the iGaming side,...
Read Full BioA federal judge in Brooklyn sentenced sports bettor Timothy McCormack to two years in prison for his role in a betting scheme tied to former NBA players Jontay Porter and Terry Rozier, which has rocked the basketball world in recent months. As part of the scheme, McCormack and others used inside information to profit from NBA player prop bets.
U.S. District Judge LaShann DeArcy Hall handed down the sentence on Wednesday, making McCormack the first defendant to be sentenced in the sprawling federal gambling corruption case. McCormack entered a guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud after admitting he had used non-public information to place wagers on the underperformance of NBA players.
Prosecutors said the conduct undermined the integrity of professional basketball and exploited the vulnerabilities that exist in today’s sports betting markets. The two-year sentence DeArcy Hall imposed fell short of the 41–51-month prison term the government sought in the November 2025 sentencing memorandum.
After he completes the prison term, McCormack will be subject to one year of supervised release, as well as being barred from gambling. The judge didn’t impose a separate restriction on casino visits, saying it wasn’t necessary. According to ABC News, DeArcy Hall acknowledged McCormack’s gambling problems, saying, “He has an addiction. I don’t believe the conduct Mr. McCormack engaged in defines him.”
However, the judge emphasized the seriousness of his offense, calling it a “serious crime,” and agreed with the prosecution’s characterization that his crimes had compromised the integrity of the sport. “The scheme undermined the core principle of unpredictability that is integral to the public’s faith in sports,” prosecutors wrote in the sentencing memorandum.
How Prosecutors & Defense Framed The Case
In the sentencing memorandum filed ahead of the hearing, prosecutors laid out their case for why they believed a significant prison term was warranted, saying it was necessary to reflect the scope of McCormack’s conduct and deter similar schemes.
“Such a sentence would adequately take into consideration the relevant … factors, in particular the nature and seriousness of the defendant’s fraudulent scheme, the need to promote respect for the law, and the need to specifically deter the defendant and generally deter the public from engaging in similar fraudulent betting schemes in the future.”
The government noted that McCormack placed tens of thousands of dollars in fraudulent wagers on multiple NBA games in 2023 and 2024, generating more than $50,000 in illegal profits. The prosecution also pointed out that McCormack deleted incriminating material from his phone after learning of the federal investigation, as he admitted in the plea agreement.
On the defense side, counsel asked the court to sentence McCormack to probation or home confinement. In its sentencing memorandum, the defense described McCormack as a compulsive gambler who wasn’t the mastermind of the scheme. In the filing, defense attorney Jeffrey Chartier wrote that McCormack pointed out that “the government concedes Timothy was ‘not the primary architect or leader of the fraudulent scheme,’” and went on to argue that it was his gambling action, not financial gain, that motivated his betting. Chartier said McCormack was the “perfect recruit” and that he “never worked directly with Porter to plan and orchestrate his rigged performances.”
In the memorandum, the defense acknowledged that McCormack has taken responsibility for his actions, pleaded guilty early in the case, and had no criminal history. The defense also emphasized that he ultimately lost much of the money he gained because he never stopped gambling.
First Sentence in Ongoing NBA Betting Case
McCormack’s case is just one part of a much bigger federal investigation into betting-related corruption involving professional athletes and sports bettors. Porter, a former Toronto Raptors player, pleaded guilty to a single count of wire fraud in 2024 and is awaiting sentencing, while Rozier, a former Miami Heat guard, has pleaded not guilty to federal charges.
McCormack is scheduled to report to federal prison on April 20. His sentence is the first punishment handed down in the NBA gambling corruption case, with additional defendants charged and legal proceedings still pending.
