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NEW YORK – Former Adidas consultant, TJ Gassnola said Wednesday that he had made payments to family members of five players, including the family of Deandre Ayton, the NBA draft number 1 pick in June by the Phoenix Suns.
Gassnola was summoned as a government witness in his wire fraud case against Adidas leader, James Gatto, Adidas consultant, Merl Code Jr. and runner Christian Dawkins. The prosecution is expected to continue its examination-in-chief on Gassnola Thursday before the defense questions him.
In addition to payments to the family of Ayton, Gassnola said Wednesday that he had also paid payments to the families of Silvio De Sousa, Dennis Smith Jr., Brian Bowen Jr. and Billy Preston.
Gassnola, who runs the Adidas sponsored New England Playaz program since 2004 and adidas basketball consultant since 2013, pleaded guilty in March to fraud. As part of its cooperation agreement, Gassnola must testify truthfully.
Gassnola testified that he had agreed to pay $ 25,000 to the family of Brian Bowen Jr. for their son to play in the Michigan Mustangs' baseball program, sponsored by Adidas. Dawkins first told Gassnola that the family was interested in leaving his current program and playing another one, but the family "needed $ 25,000 to make the move."
"I said [Dawkins] I would do it and I would do it, "Gassnola told the jury.
Gassnola said he sent $ 7,000 cash in a magazine to the Bowen family, while Adidas' executive, Chris Rivers, "occupied the rest."
Bowen Sr. testified about Adidas' payment of $ 25,000 last Thursday.
Gassnola has not yet sent payments to Preston, Smith Jr., De Sousa or Ayton. It was the first time since the selection of the jury that the name of Ayton was mentioned during the trial.
Earlier Wednesday, Jeff Smith, chief compliance officer in Kansas, denied receiving any information that $ 90,000 was paid to Preston's family and $ 20,000 to De Sousa's guardian.
Defense lawyers also questioned Smith on a document showing that De Sousa had accepted a contract with a team of professionals in Spain, as well as a document stating an agreement between De Sousa and a sports agent . Smith said that Kansas had become aware of these problems and had taken steps to examine them.
De Sousa remains eligible and a member of the Kansas basketball team.
De Sousa was registered in Kansas last December, but was kept out of competition while waiting to be wiped out by the NCAA. He could not play before January.
"I obviously can not really say what's going on," said Kansas coach Bill Self. "But I can say this, in the past, I said that, based on the information we had, we would be certain that this case would have a positive resolution." But that was also based on the information we had ., you know, who knows what could potentially happen in the next, you know, whatever the period of time, but I take the approach, as everyone is in our team, that we will play Silvio From Sousa this year. "
Mitch Sherman of ESPN contributed to this report.
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