A handful of Arizona Wildcats recruiting targets, players and coaches were also mentioned during the two-week trial
By Adam Zagoria } Special to the Arizona Daily Star
Three men at the center of an ongoing federal trial into college basketball corruption have been found guilty of multiple felonies.
A jury ruled Wednesday that former Adidas consultant Merl Code, Adidas executive Jim Gatto and would-be sports agent Christian Dawkins committed wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud by paying families of coveted basketball prospects to get them to commit to programs sponsored by the shoe company. Gatto was found guilty on all three of his counts, and Dawkins and Code were found guilty on both of theirs. There was stunned silence in the courtroom after the jury foreperson read the verdicts.
Sentencing is scheduled for March 5. Gatto’s attorney, Michael Schachter, said he plans to appeal. “Of course,” he said.
Dawkins’ father, Lou, cried after the verdict was read. The would-be agent’s mother, Latricia, said her son wouldn’t be commenting.
“You don’t want his comment,” she said. “Just read between the lines. That’s how we feel about it.”
