A federal appeals court in New York has upheld the convictions of a former Adidas employee, a former Adidas consultant and an aspiring business manager who were found guilty for their roles in pay-for-play schemes to influence high-profile basketball recruits to attend Kansas, Louisville and NC State.
Former Adidas employee James Gatto, former Adidas consultant Merl Code and business manager Christian Dawkins were found guilty in October 2018 on felony charges of wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
Gatto, Code and Dawkins were accused of paying money from Adidas to the families of recruits to ensure they signed with Adidas-sponsored schools, and then with the sneaker company and certain financial planners and agents once they turned pro.