Editor's note: Video aired on March 26.
PORTLAND, Ore. -- Hours ahead of the men’s NCAA Tournament Final Four, attorney Michael Avenatti published documents that he says shows Nike paid people connected to top amateur basketball players.
Avenatti was arrested last month on charges that he tried to extort millions of dollars from Nike.
In the documents posted on Twitter Saturday morning, Avenatti alleges Nike paid about $170,000 to associates of NBA rookie and former University of Arizona star DeAndre Ayton, Brandon McCoy and Bol Bol, who played for Oregon this past season and has declared for the NBA Draft.
“If I’m lying or the docs are not legit, I challenge @nike to issue a stmt claiming no bribes were ever paid. Just Do It Nike!” Avenatti said in a tweet.
Nike issued the following statement:
Nike will not respond to the allegations of an individual facing federal charges of fraud and extortion and aid in his disgraceful attempts to distract from the athletes on the court at the height of the tournament. Nike will continue its cooperation with the government's investigation into grassroots basketball and the related extortion case.”
Avenatti, 48, allegedly threatened to hold a news conference last month on the eve of Nike's quarterly earnings call and the start of the NCAA tournament to announce allegations of misconduct by Nike employees. Prosecutors said Avenatti approached Nike and threatened to expose rules violations involving an amateur youth team sponsored by the company unless it paid him up to $25 million.
Greg Rossiter, global communications director for Nike, sent KGW a response to Avenatti's initial claims, saying the company “will not be extorted.”
"Nike has been cooperating with the government’s investigation into NCAA basketball for over a year. When Nike became aware of this matter, Nike immediately reported it to federal prosecutors,” said Rossiter.
Avenatti has disputed Nike’s cooperation with the NCAA investigation, which led to the conviction of former Adidas executive Jim Gatto and two others for funneling illegal payments to families of amateur basketball players.
“Nike bribed over 100 players as part of their scheme and purposely hid the payments from the NCAA & fed investigators,” Avenatti tweeted on Saturday.