Three men who were convicted as part of college basketball’s pay-for-play schemes were sentenced to prison on Tuesday by U.S. District Court Judge Lewis A. Kaplan.
ESPN.com reports that the three officials — former Adidas executive James Gatto, former Adidas consultant Merl Code and aspiring sports manager Christian Dawkins — each got jail time. Gatto received a sentence of nine months, while Code and Dawkins got six months each.
The men were convicted in October of funneling money from Adidas to the families of high-profile college basketball recruits in exchange for them committing to Adidas programs and signing contracts with the shoe and apparel company once they turned pro. The scheme also involved urging recruits to employ the services of particular sports agencies and financial planners after their college careers.
In announcing the sentences, Kaplan said that he wanted to send “a great big warning light to the basketball world.” Kaplan acknowledged that the defendants were being punished, despite others behaving similarly and going unpunished.
Some of the schools involved are seeking to recoup scholarship monies and legal fees associated with the scandal. The University of Kansas is reportedly seeking $1.1 million, North Carolina State University is seeking $250,000, and the University of Louisville is seeking $32,000.
The men were released on appeal bonds, and according to Dawkins’ attorney, all three will appeal their convictions.
