Judge Rules Adidas RICO Suit Will Continue

On March 2, 2020, U.S. District Judge Joseph F. Anderson Jr. declined to dismiss a civil racketeering lawsuit against Adidas and others, allowing the lawsuit to continue. The suit was brought by Brian Bowen II, a former University of Louisville basketball recruit, who claims that the NCAA corruption scandal cost him opportunities in both college and professional basketball.

Specifically, Judge Anderson determined that Bowen would be permitted to continue claims under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO), a federal law that provides a …

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Small Quebec Hockey Company in Legal Battle with Hockey Giant

A potential legal battle in the Quebec Superior Court is brewing between two hockey manufacturing companies and has been dubbed a commercial struggle between David and Goliath. Équipements de gardien de but Michel Lefebvre (EGB) is a Terrebonne, Quebec, family-owned and operated hockey manufacturing company that has been making elite goalie equipment since the 1970s. Some of the most renowned NHL goalies of recent memory–including Ken Dryden, Martin Brodeur, Patrick Roy, Ed Belfour, Curtis Joseph, Roberto Luongo, Marc-André Fleury, and Carey Price–have used EGB goalie …

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Key Witness in NCAA Corruption Trial Avoids Prison Time

Munish Sood, a crucial witness in the NCAA corruption cases, will avoid both prison time and probation, a federal judge ruled.

Sood, a New Jersey financial adviser, admitted to paying bribes to a variety of people involved in college athletics. Included are two former assistant coaches: Lamont Evans, of the University of South Carolina, and Emanuel “Book” Richardson, of the University of Arizona, who each pled guilty and faced three months of prison time.

Government counsel requested leniency at Sood’s hearing, with attorney Noah …

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Access Denied: NCAA Bribery and Corruption Scandal

On September 3, 2019, U.S. District Court Judge Lewis A. Kaplan issued a ruling denying the motions by the NCAA and Yahoo Sports parent company, Oath, Inc., to intervene in the pay-for-play NCAA scandal case for the limited purpose of obtaining access to evidence that was not admitted at trial. As we have previously reported, in October 2018, former Adidas executive James Gatto, business manager Christopher Dawkins, and consultant Merl Code were convicted of fraud that arose out of a college basketball pay-for-play scandal.…

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Adidas Falls Short in Protecting Trademark Registration of “Three-Stripe Mark” in EU Court

Adidas AG fell short in its efforts to protect broader trademark rights to its three-stripe mark, as the European Union ruled the design was not distinctive enough for protection. This decision invalidated its 2014 trademark registration on “three parallel equidistant stripes of identical width” which are applied on products “in any discretion.”

“Adidas does not prove that that mark has acquired, throughout the territory of the EU, distinctive character following the use which had been made of it,” the court wrote in its decision summary

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Jury Selection Begins in Second Trial Over NCAA Basketball Corruption

On April 22, 2019, jury selection was conducted in the trial of aspiring sports agent Christian Dawkins and former Adidas consultant Merl Code. Dawkins and Code stand accused of bribing major NCAA D1 basketball coaches in order to facilitate a relationship with high-profile amateur basketball players.

The current trial is essentially a spin-off of a major NCAA corruption scandal. Previously, in October 2019, a Manhattan federal jury convicted former Adidas executive James Gatto, business manager and aspiring sports agent Christian Dawkins, and former Adidas consultant …

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NCAA Head Coaches Sean Miller and Will Wade Face Subpoenas in Upcoming Federal Basketball Corruption Trial

On February 25, 2019, reports began circulating that indicate both Arizona head basketball coach Sean Miller and LSU head basketball coach Will Wade will be subpoenaed in connection with the upcoming April 22 federal basketball corruption trial.

Back in October, a Manhattan federal jury convicted former Adidas executive James Gatto, business manager and aspiring sports agent Christian Dawkins, and former Adidas consultant Merl Code of fraud charges arising out of this college basketball pay-for-play scandal. Throughout the course of trial, several NCAA coaches’ names emerged …

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Judge Explains Reasoning in NCAA Corruption/Bribery Trial

On January 17, 2019, U.S. District Court Judge Lewis A. Kaplan explained his reasoning behind precluding the defendants use of an expert witness in the NCAA corruption/bribery trial. As we previously reported, on October 24, 2018, a Manhattan federal jury convicted former Adidas executive James Gatto, business manager and aspiring sports agent Christopher Dawkins, and former Adidas consultant Merl Code of fraud charges arising out of a high-profile college basketball pay-for-play scandal.

In a memorandum, Judge Kaplan explained that expert witness Dr. Daniel …

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NCAA Corruption/Bribery Trial Fallout

As we previously reported, on October 24, 2018, a Manhattan federal jury convicted former Adidas executive James Gatto, business manager and aspiring sports agent Christopher Dawkins, and former Adidas consultant Merl Code of fraud charges arising out of a high-profile college basketball pay-for-play scandal. The breadth of the NCAA Corruption/Bribery Scandal rocked the NCAA. While the trial concluded with convictions, it is not likely that the story ends here. Many experts believe that various NCAA Division I Schools are now in the crosshairs of …

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