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Two sports apparel company executives and an aspiring sports agent were found guilty Wednesday of wire fraud charges in connection with the most significant sports scandal in recent National Collegiate Athletic Association history -- a scheme to pay off the families of men’s basketball recruits and secure their commitment to teams at Adidas-sponsored universities.
James Gatto and Merl Code Jr., two former Adidas employees, and the agent Christian Dawkins were found guilty after a three-week jury trial. Sentencing begins in March, and each could face several years in prison.
Prosecutors argued that the men had defrauded the University of Louisville, the University of Kansas and North Carolina State University by paying recruits sums in excess of tens of thousands of dollars. Federal officials first revealed the shoe company’s influence on the sport more than a year ago, when they also arrested four coaches at high-profile programs.
The tumult surrounding the charges prompted the NCAA to consider a set of changes in its rules governing college basketball.
