Taking a deep breath before reading a statement from his plea agreement, Awawdeh told the court he \u201cknowingly and intentionally agreed\u201d to the criminal conspiracies described in his indictment.<\/p>\n
\u201cI knew that one of the participants had access to confidential, nonpublic information concerning an NBA player\u2019s expected participation in certain games,\u201d he said. \u201cI agreed with others that wagers would be placed based upon that confidential information, including wages on the \u2018under\u2019 for the player\u2019s statistical performance.\u201d<\/p>\n
Porter exited early from two games under the scheme, one on Jan. 26, 2024, against the Los Angeles Clippers and a second game on March 20, 2024, against the Sacramento Kings.<\/p>\n
The top count against Awawdeh carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. Awawdeh said he has been seeing a gambling therapist for more than two years.<\/p>\n
Following the hearing, Awawdeh\u2019s attorney Mark Lesko pointed to to his client\u2019s gambling addiction.<\/p>\n
\u201cMr. Awawdeh has a severe gambling addiction. It\u2019s among the most severe gambling addictions a very experienced therapist has ever seen. He takes full responsibility for his actions,\u201d Lesko said. \u201cThis case is a prime example of the pervasive effect of sports gambling on our society. It\u2019s ubiquitous. It\u2019s everywhere. Kids are doing it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Awawdeh is also charged in a separate Brooklyn federal court case involving players involving NBA players and members of the Bonanno, Gambino and Genovese crime families, who are accused of running rigged high-stakes poker games with the players \u2014\u00a0including Portland Trail Blazers head coach and NBA Hall of Famer Chauncey Billups<\/a>. Awawdeh has also been linked to the ongoing gambling investigations into former NBA players Malik Beasley<\/a>and Terry Rozier<\/a>.<\/p>\n Lesko said Awawdeh hopes to resolve the separate charges soon.<\/p>\n The popularity of so-called prop bets has exploded in recent years and extends well beyond the sports world. An hour before Thursday\u2019s hearing began, for instance, news broke that President Donald Trump\u2019s longtime teleprompter operator made more than $100,000 by placing bets on Trump\u2019s speeches using the prediction market Kalshi.<\/p>\n Our weekly newsletter Closing Arguments offers the latest about ongoing
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